Paul A. Folmsbee, of Oklahoma, is a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, Ambassador of the United States of America to the Republic of Mali.

Paul A. Folmsbee of Oklahoma, is a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor.  He was nominated to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Mali by President Barack Obama on September 18, 2014 and confirmed by the United States Senate on May 23, 2015.  Prior to his appointment as Ambassador he served as Executive Director, Bureau of African Affairs in the Department of State. Known as a talented leader and manager, he has served with distinction in many of our nation’s most demanding positions and challenging posts.

Previously, he served as the Senior Civilian Representative for Regional Command East, Afghanistan (embedded with the 1st Cavalry at Bagram), Consul General, Mumbai, India, Provincial Reconstruction Team Leader, Sadr City, Iraq (embedded with the 2/82 Airborne), Director of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, Embassy Islamabad, Pakistan, Management Officer, Embassy Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and Libreville, Gabon, General Services Officer, Embassy La Paz, Bolivia, Colombo, Sri Lanka, Nairobi, Kenya, and Geneva, Switzerland.

Ambassador Folmsbee earned a B.A. in Political Science from Tabor College in Hillsboro, Kansas, a M.A. in Social Anthropology from the University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma in and was issued a pilot’s license after studying aviation at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

He is the recipient of five Department of State Superior Honor Awards, five Meritorious Honor Awards and a medal from the Polish Government for service in Afghanistan working with Polish troops. He speaks French and Spanish.

Contact Information

United States Embassy
ACI 2000
Rue 243, Porte 297
Bamako, Mali

Phone: +223 20 70 23 00
Fax: +223 20 70 24 79

Website: http://mali.usembassy.gov/