Michael E. Ranneberger is a former United States Ambassador to Kenya

Kenya

Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...

. He was confirmed by congress on June 29, 2006 and began field duties on August 11, 2006. He left his post in May, 2011. He was also responsible for U.S. relations with Somalia

Somalia

Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...

. Mr. Ranneberger served as the Senior Representative on Sudan

Sudan

Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...

 in the Bureau of African Affairs from January–August 2006. From 2004 to 2005, he was the Africa Bureau’s Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary. He served as Special Advisor on Sudan from 2002 to 2004. From 1999 to 2002, he was Ambassador to the Republic of Mali. He is a member of the Senior Foreign Service with the rank of Career Minister.

From July 1995 to July 1999, as Coordinator for Cuban Affairs, Mr. Ranneberger helped lead the Administration’s policy to promote a peaceful democratic transition in Cuba, in part by intensifying support for human rights activists and the development of independent civil society. Immediately prior to assuming the Cuba position, he spent six months in Haiti setting up and running an inter-agency Task Force on Justice and Security-Related Issues.

In August 1994, he became Deputy Chief of Mission in Mogadishu. His service as Deputy Chief of Mission in Maputo

Maputo

Maputo, also known as Lourenço Marques, is the capital and largest city of Mozambique. It is known as the City of Acacias in reference to acacia trees commonly found along its avenues and the Pearl of the Indian Ocean. It was famous for the inscription "This is Portugal" on the walkway of its...

 from 1986 to 1989 included eight months as Charge during the civil war, at a time when the U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID) emergency assistance program in Mozambique was one of the largest in sub-Saharan Africa. As Angola Desk Officer during 1981-1984 he worked as a member of Assistant Secretary Crocker’s team negotiating independence for Namibia and the withdrawal of Cuban troops from Angola.

From 1989-1992 he served as Deputy Chief of Mission in Asuncion, where he was involved in supporting the post-Stroessner democratic transition. While Deputy Director for Central American Affairs during 1992-1994 he helped oversee implementation of the peace accords in El Salvador and efforts to end the internal conflict in Guatemala. After working as a Special Assistant to Under Secretary Armacost from 1984 to 1985, he was awarded an International Affairs Fellowship at the Council on Foreign Relations.

After graduating from Archbishop Curley High School

Archbishop Curley High School

Archbishop Curley High School, is a Roman Catholic men's high school located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore in the USA. It is affiliated with the Franciscan religious order and is named in honor of Archbishop Michael J. Curley , who served as the tenth Archbishop of Baltimore from...

 in Baltimore, Mr. Ranneberger obtained a B.A. from Towson State University in Baltimore

Baltimore

Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...

 and an M.A. in history from the University of Virginia

Virginia

The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...

. He is the recipient of seven Superior Honor Awards from the Department and a Presidential Meritorious Service Award.

External links

• http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/biog/64048.htm
• U.S. tells Kibaki,Raila to cease fire