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 Suriname
CANDIDATE: Robert J. Faucher
Robert J. Faucher, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service with the rank of Minister-Counselor, has served as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations (CSO) since 2019, including duties as the Acting Assistant Secretary for CSO throughout 2021. He was previously Director for the Office of Western European Affairs in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs. Faucher also held positions as Director in the offices of UN Political Affairs and UN Specialized and Technical Agencies in the Bureau of International Organization Affairs. Faucher joined the Foreign Service in 1985 and has served as Deputy Chief of Mission at U.S. Embassies in Belgium, Ireland, Suriname and Luxembourg. His other overseas postings include the Netherlands, the U.S. Mission to the European Union, and the United Kingdom. His prior Washington service includes Deputy Office Director in the Office of European Union and Regional Affairs, Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs; Special Assistant in the Bureau of Intelligence and Research; and Attorney Advisor for the Middle East and South Asia in the Legal Adviser’s Office. Faucher’s prior service in Suriname, fluency in Dutch, coupled with his extensive management experience and demonstrated ability to lead large interagency teams as well as policy-oriented offices, make him a well-qualified candidate to be the U.S. Ambassador to Suriname.
Mr. Faucher grew up Arizona, and holds BA and JD/MBA degrees from Arizona State University, an LLM degree from Edinburgh University, and an MS degree from the National Defense University’s National War College. He is the recipient of multiple State Department performance awards, including two Senior Foreign Service Performance awards, and speaks Dutch and French.