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 Rwanda
CANDIDATE: Peter Hendrick Vrooman
Peter Hendrick Vrooman, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, class of Counselor, is currently Chargé d’Affaires, U.S. Embassy Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, a position he has held since 2016. A Foreign Service Officer since 1991, he is known for his deep knowledge of East African issues and expertise in UN peacekeeping. A political officer, he also has strong public diplomacy credentials and economic/commercial advocacy experience. He has managed teams of over 1,200 staff, U.S. government annual budgets in excess of $30 million and foreign assistance programs of nearly $1 billion annually. These critical skills, in addition to his ability to lead interagency teams and his broad Washington experience, make him an excellent candidate for U.S. Ambassador to Rwanda.
Previously, Mr. Vrooman served as Deputy Chief of Mission, U.S. Embassy Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (2014-2016), Information Officer, U.S. Embassy New Delhi, India (2011-2014), Director, National Security Council Staff, Washington, D.C. (2009-2010), Senior Adviser for Northern Iraq, U.S. Embassy Baghdad, Iraq (2009) and Deputy Political Counselor, U.S. Embassy Tel Aviv, Israel (2005-2009). He was Deputy Political Counselor (2003-2005) and Adviser (2000-2003), U.S. Mission to the United Nations, New York, Economic/Commercial Officer (1999-2000) and Political Officer (1998-1999), U.S. Embassy Beirut, Lebanon. He also served at the State Department as Algeria Desk Officer and Watch Officer. Overseas he was assigned to the U.S. Liaison Office, Mogadishu, Somalia and the U.S. Embassy Djibouti, Djibouti. Earlier, he was
Intern/Special Assistant to the President of the American University in Cairo, Egypt.
Mr. Vrooman earned a M.S from the National Defense University, Industrial College of the Armed Forces and a B.A. from Harvard College. He is the recipient of 15 notable Department of State awards, including the joint Department of Commerce & Department of State Benjamin Joy Award for Commercial Diplomacy and a Group Valor Award. He speaks French and Arabic.