REPORT FOR THE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS
UNITED STATES SENATE
SUBJECT: Ambassadorial Nomination: Certificate of Demonstrated Competence — Foreign Service Act, Section 304(a)(4)
POST: Republic of Cameroon
CANDIDATE: Peter Henry Barlerin
Peter Henry Barlerin, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, class of Counselor, is currently the Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of African Affairs, U.S. Department of State, Washington, D.C, a post he has held since 2016. A former Deputy Chief of Mission with senior level appointments at the State Department, Mr. Barlerin is known for his expertise on Africa. His leadership and crisis management skills were demonstrated when, as Deputy Chief of Mission in Mali, a group of Islamic radicals and terrorists took over the north, and later army elements overthrew the democratically-elected President. These skills, in addition to his language skills and expertise in leading interagency teams, make him an excellent candidate for U.S. Ambassador to Cameroon.
Previously, Mr. Barlerin served at the State Department as Director of the Office of Economic & Regional Affairs (2013-2016) and Deputy Director in the Office of Regional and Security Affairs, Bureau of African Affairs (2007-2009). He was Senior Advisor in the Office of Sanctions Policy and Implementation of the Economics and Business Bureau (2012-2013). Overseas, he served as Deputy Chief of Mission, U.S. Embassy Bamako, Mali (2009-2012), Financial Economist, U.S. Mission to the OECD, Paris, France (2004-2007), Deputy American Citizens Services Chief, U.S. Embassy Tokyo, Japan (2001-2004) and Consul, U.S. Consulate General Sapporo, Japan (2000-2001), Economics Officer and Consul, U.S. Embassy Antananarivo, Madagascar (1996-1999). At the State Department, he was also a Trade Economist, Staff Assistant, Financial Economist and Watch Officer at the Nuclear Risk Reduction Center, while overseas he served at the U.S. Embassy in Oslo, Norway and the U.S. Consulate, Lubumbashi, Zaire. Before joining the Foreign Service he was an Economist at the Council of Economic Advisors and a Teaching Assistant in Economics at University of Maryland, College Park.
Mr. Barlerin earned a M.A. from University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, in 1986 and a B.A. from Middlebury College, Middlebury, Vermont in 1980. He is the recipient of 10 Department of State Superior and Meritorious Honor Awards. He speaks French, Japanese, Spanish and Norwegian.