US Orders Departure of 13 African Ambassadors. Libreville, Gabon — 29 December 2025 (AGP) Lead Paragraph: At least 29 diplomats from various countries have been informed of the impending end to their missions, scheduled to take effect in January, according to two U. S.
State Department officials.
The affected diplomats, appointed under former President Joe Biden, survived a previous wave of dismissals early in Donald Trump’s second term.
The continent most affected by these recalls is Africa, with 13 ambassadors set to conclude their tenure across multiple countries, including those in Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Gabon, Ivory Coast, Madagascar, Mauritius, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Somalia, and Uganda.
The move, which also affects ambassadors in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, South Asia and Central Asia, as well as the Western Hemisphere, appears to be a continuation of a policy that has targeted politically appointed diplomats.
The Asian continent is second in line with six ambassadorial changes announced in countries such as Fiji, Laos, Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, and Vietnam. Four European nations — Armenia, North Macedonia, Montenegro, and Slovakia — are also included, along with two Middle Eastern countries, Algeria and Egypt.
Additionally, two countries in South Asia and Central Asia, Nepal and Sri Lanka, and two from the Western Hemisphere, Guatemala and Suriname, are facing ambassadorial changes.
The State Department officials confirmed the notifications have been sent out over the past few days, with the African continent being the hardest hit.
The officials did not specify the reasons behind the decision to end the ambassadors’missions, but the move is likely to have significant implications for diplomatic relations and foreign policy in the affected regions.
Local sources report that the governments of the countries involved have not yet publicly commented on the situation.
The abrupt changes in diplomatic staffing could lead to uncertainties in international relations, particularly in regions where the outgoing ambassadors have been influential figures. Further details about the reasons for the dismissals and the anticipated impact on diplomatic relations are expected to emerge in the coming days.
For now, the situation remains developing, with the affected countries and the United States yet to provide comprehensive explanations.
