Deborah Ruth Malac (born 1955)Deborah Ruth Malac (1955–) is an American diplomat, who served as the United States Ambassador to Uganda. She was nominated by President Barack Obama and was confirmed by the Senate Nov. 19, 2015. She previously served as United States Ambassador to Liberia.
Early life and education Malac is the daughter of Marian Bartak Malac and Barry Forrest Malac,Senate Congressional Record U.S. Congress, November 17, 2015 a Czech immigrant.News From The Czech Center Museum, Houston, Texas, May 29, 2013 In 1977 Malac earned a B.A. in international studies magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Furman University. She also received an M.A. in foreign affairs from the University of Virginia in 1981. She later studied at the Industrial College of the Armed Forces (now Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy) and received an M.S. in national resources strategy there in 2002.Malac Deborah R. - Republic of Uganda U.S. State Department, September 2015 Malac spent a year studying international law at the University of Basel on a Fulbright Foundation fellowship.
Career Malac joined the Department of State in 1981. She has spent most of her career focusing on Africa. Her assignments included serving as desk officer for Laos and South Africa. Overseas assignments brought her to Bangkok, Pretoria, and Yaoundé, Cameroon, Senegal and Ethiopia.Deborah R. Malac U.S. State Department, accessed May 2, 2016
In 2012 Malac became U.S. Ambassador to Liberia. In 2014, a major Ebola outbreak started there, and Malac helped coordinate the U.S. response to the medical and humanitarian crisis. Liberia's president, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, joined Malac in a tour of the Liberian capital and implored U.S. President Barack Obama to assist the country.U.S. to Commit Up to 3,000 Troops to Fight Ebola in Africa new York Times, September 16, 2014 When aid was forthcoming, Malac assured Liberians that American military assistance (which became Operation United Assistance) were not there to organize a coup against Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf.AFRICOM's Ebola response and the militarization of humanitarian aid The Washington Post, September 25, 2014 Malac later noted that coordinated efforts helped to curb the epidemic.In Liberia, a Good or Very Bad Sign: Empty Hospital Beds The New York Times, October 29, 20143 Liberian Health Workers With Ebola Receive Scarce Drug After Appeals to U.S. The New York Times, August 16, 2014
On September 19, 2015, President Obama nominated Malac to become the U.S. Ambassador to Uganda to replace Scott DeLisi, who announced he was retiring. The Senate confirmed the nomination in November 2015.Malac named new US envoy to Uganda The Daily Monitor, September 19, 2015 When elections took place shortly after her arrival, the government of Uganda issued statements critical of Malac for her admonition not to sacrifice democratic processes in the country for the sake of security.Uganda gov't rebukes US ambassador over post-election statement Star Africa, April 8, 2016 Her mission terminated on January 26, 2020.
Personal life In addition to English, Malac speaks French, German and Thai. Malac and her husband, Ron Olson, have three children.U.S. Ambassador to Uganda: Who Is Deborah Malac? AllGov, January 25, 2016
References
External links
https://www.africanews.com/2020/01/25/ugandans-must-talk-about-transition-outgoing-us-ambassador/ - Malac says on returning home that Uganda needs to have a discussion about future transition, January 2020.