You are in:

 Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs > Bureau of Public Affairs > Bureau of Public Affairs: Electronic Information and Publications Office > Biographies > Biographies Listed Alphabetically by Last Name
Biography

Photo of Donald Y. Yamamoto
Donald Y. Yamamoto
Ambassador
Ethiopia
Term of Appointment: 11/09/2006 to present

Donald Yamamoto was sworn in as the U.S. Ambassador to the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia on November 9, 2006. Prior to his appointment, he served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of African Affairs from 2003 to 2006, where he was responsible for coordinating U.S. policy toward over 20 countries in east and central Africa. He served as U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Djibouti from 2000 to 2003 and was the Deputy Director for East African Affairs from 1998 to 2000.

Ambassador Yamamoto entered the Foreign Service in 1980. Former assignments include U.S. Embassy Beijing as Ambassador's staff aide and Human Rights Officer during the Tiananmen Square demonstrations in 1989; Japan as Principal Officer of the Fukuoka Consulate; and Eritrea as Chargé d'Affaires at U.S. Embassy Asmara in the Horn of Africa. He attended the National War College in 1996 for senior training and received a Congressional Fellowship in 1991.

Ambassador Yamamoto is a graduate of Columbia College and did graduate studies at Columbia University, receiving a Masters degree in International Affairs. He has studied Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, and French. During his Foreign Service career, he has received three individual Superior Honor awards and two group awards.

Ethiopia | AF Homepage | yellow envelope icon for email subscriptions. click to subscribe.Sign up for Africa email updates.

The Office of Electronic Information, Bureau of Public Affairs, manages this site as a portal for information from the U.S. State Department. External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.