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 Kosovo
CANDIDATE: Philip Scott Kosnett
Philip Scott Kosnett, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, class of Counselor, has been the Deputy Chief of Mission/Chargé d’Affaires a.i. at the U.S. Embassy Ankara, Turkey since 2016, playing an instrumental role in guiding U.S. Mission staff and the bilateral relationship through tense times. Over a 35-year Foreign Service career, he has become recognized for his broad foreign policy expertise, effective crisis management and post-conflict reconciliation experience, as well as his fine record of leadership, both overseas and domestically in the State Department. Mr. Kosnett’s skills and experience have prepared him well to become U.S. Ambassador to Kosovo.
Previously with the Department of State, Mr. Kosnett served as Director, Office of Southern European Affairs (2014 -2016), Deputy Chief of Mission, U.S. Embassy Tashkent, Uzbekistan (2011-2014), Political-Military Counselor, U.S. Embassy Kabul, Afghanistan (2009-2010), Deputy Political-Military Counselor, U.S. Embassy Baghdad, Iraq (2008-2009), Foreign Policy Advisor, Multi-National Corps-Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq (2007-2008) and Deputy Chief of Mission/Chargé d’ Affaires a. i., U.S. Embassy Reykjavik, Iceland (2004-2007). He was Governorate Coordinator, Coalition Provisional Authority, Najaf, Iraq (2004), Political Director, U.S. Office Pristina, Kosovo (2003), Global Issues Chief, U.S. Embassy The Hague, The Netherlands (2000-2003), Senior Analyst, National Commission on Terrorism, Washington, D.C. (1999-2000), Senior Country Officer for Greece (1997-1999) and Senior Watch Officer, Operations Center (1996-1997). Other assignments included Regional Affairs Officer, Office of Counterterrorism, Special Assistant, Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, Political-Economic Officer, U.S. Representative Office, Nagoya, Japan, Terrorism Analyst, Bureau of Intelligence and Research, and Political Officer and Vice Consul, U.S. Embassy Ankara, Turkey. He was a Teacher/Editor in Fukuyama & Kawasaki, Japan.
Mr. Kosnett earned an A.B. at Harvard University. He is the recipient of ten Department of State awards, the Office of the Secretary of Defense Medal for Exceptional Civilian Service (2004) and the Department of the Army Medal for Outstanding Civilian Service (2008). He speaks Turkish, Russian, Dutch and Japanese.