The United States ambassador to the Central African Republic is the ambassador of the United States to the Central African Republic.
Alan W. Lukens (resident at Brazzaville) presented credentials as chargé d'affaires ad interim on August 13, 1960. During Blancke's tenure as non-resident ambassador to the Central African Republic, the United States Embassy in Bangui was established on February 10, 1961, with Lukens as resident chargé d'affaires ad interim. Ambassador Cooke was commissioned to the Central African Empire.
Ambassadors extraordinary and plenipotentiary Name State Type Appointed Presented credentials Mission terminated Notes W. Wendell Blancke California FSO December 12, 1960 January 6, 1961 November 29, 1961 Commissioned during a recess of the Senate.Recommissioned after confirmation on February 6, 1961.Also accredited to Chad, Congo-Brazzaville, and Gabon; resident at Brazzaville. John H. Burns Oklahoma FSO November 10, 1961 November 29, 1961 Left post, May 6, 1963 Commissioned during a recess of the SenateRecommissioned after confirmation on Jan 30, 1962. Claude G. Ross California FSO August 1, 1963 September 16, 1963 Left post, April 22, 1967 Geoffrey W. Lewis Virginia FSO September 13, 1967 October 23, 1967 Left post, August 2, 1970 Melvin L. Manfull Utah FSO November 23, 1970 February 4, 1971 Left post, December 13, 1972 William N. Dale New Mexico FSO July 24, 1973 September 18, 1973 Left post, July 17, 1975 Anthony C. E. Quainton Washington FSO February 4, 1976 February 20, 1976 Left post, June 9, 1978 Goodwin Cooke Connecticut FSO October 11, 1978 November 4, 1978 Left post, July 13, 1980 Arthur H. Woodruff Florida FSO May 7, 1981 July 10, 1981 Left post, August 2, 1983 Edmund DeJarnette Virginia FSO October 7, 1983 November 17, 1983 Left post, May 26, 1986 David C. Fields California FSO October 16, 1986 December 4, 1986 Left post, October 3, 1989 Daniel Howard Simpson Ohio FSO November 21, 1989 February 6, 1990 Left post, December 15, 1992 Robert E. Gribbin III Alabama FSO June 15, 1992 January 16, 1993 Left post, September 16, 1995 Mosina H. Jordan New York FSO June 27, 1995 November 29, 1995 Left post March 31, 1997 Robert Cephas Perry Virginia FSO October 12, 1998 February 1, 1999 Left post July 1, 2001 Mattie R. Sharpless North Carolina FSO October 1, 2001 December 14, 2001 Left post November 2, 2002 Frederick B. Cook Florida FSO July 27, 2007 August 29, 2007 Left post August 17, 2010 Laurence D. Wohlers Washington FSO September 8, 2010 October 30, 2010 Left post August 1, 2013 Jeffrey J. Hawkins California FSO October 15, 2015 October 30, 2015 Left post January 11, 2018 Lucy Tamlyn New York FSO January 11, 2019 February 6, 2019https://www.lanouvellecentrafrique.org/2019/02/08/car-lucy-tamlyn-appointed-new-us-ambassador-to-centrafric-good-bye-cotonou-hello-bangui/ Left post January 28, 2022 Patricia Mahoney Virginia FSO December 18, 2021 April 8, 2022 March 27, 2025 Christopher Gunning Texas FSO March 27, 2025 August 25, 2025 Chargé d'Affaires ad interim Melanie Anne Zimmerman Maryland FSO August 25, 2025 Present Chargé d'Affaires ad interim
Notes Albert E. Fairchild served as chargé d'affaires ad interim from December 1979 to July 1981. Embassy reopened Jan 2005. A. James Panos served as chargé d'affaires ad interim, January 2005-July 2007.
See also Central African Republic – United States relations Foreign relations of the Central African Republic
References
United States Department of State: Background notes on the Central African Republic
External links United States Department of State: Chiefs of Mission for the Central African Republic United States Department of State: Central African Republic United States Embassy in Bangui