Robert Porter Jackson was officially sworn in as the new U.S. Ambassador to Ghana, with the ceremony taking place in Washington, D.C. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Linda Thomas-Greenfield administered the oath. The event was attended by notable figures including Lieutenant General Joseph Henry Smith, Ghana's Ambassador to the United States, Under Secretary of State for Management Patrick Kennedy, former Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson, and former U.S. Ambassador to Ghana Donald Teitelbaum.
Ambassador Jackson's nomination received confirmation from the U.S. Senate on October 22, 2015. He is expected to assume his responsibilities in Accra by early January 2016.
During his remarks at the swearing-in ceremony, Ambassador Jackson expressed enthusiasm about relocating to Ghana with his wife Babs: "Babs and I are excited about moving to Ghana, one of the leading democracies on the African continent." He outlined his objectives as ambassador: "My priorities will be to promote strong institutions, good governance, peace, trade, education, and health."
He also reflected on future relations between the two nations: "Three years from now … I trust we will say that the relationship is stronger than ever."
Before this appointment, Ambassador Jackson served as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for African Affairs since October 2013 and was previously U.S. Ambassador to Cameroon from 2010 to 2013.
His career includes various overseas roles such as Deputy Chief of Mission in Morocco and Senegal; Political/Economic Counselor in Cote d’Ivoire; Political-Military Officer in Portugal; Chief of Political Section in Zimbabwe; Political/Economic Officer in Burundi; and Consular/Economic Officer in Canada.
In Washington D.C., he has held positions including Director of the Office for Promotion of Human Rights and Democracy and Country Officer for several African nations.
Jackson joined the U.S. Foreign Service in 1982 after teaching languages abroad. His educational background includes a Master’s degree from National Defense University and an M.A. from George Washington University.