July 2012

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Croatia

Josip Paro became ambassador of Croatia to the United States on May 2, 2012.

Ambassador Paro previously served as Croatia’s ambassador to the Netherlands and as permanent representative to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons since 2009. Prior to that, he was the Croatian ambassador to the United Kingdom (2003-09), with concurrent accreditation as nonresident ambassador to the Gambia (2004-09). In addition, Ambassador Paro was assistant foreign minister in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1997-2002), where he was also head of the Department for Political Planning (1996-97), as well as political counselor at the Croatian Embassy in Madrid (1993-96). A career diplomat, Ambassador Paro started his diplomatic career in 1992 as a desk officer for Western Europe in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and comparative literature from the University of Zagreb, and he speaks English and Spanish and has passive knowledge of French, Portuguese Italian, Slovenian and Russian.

Republic of Congo

François Ibara departed the post of first secretary on May 22.

Stephane B. Mamaty assumed the position of counselor last year.

Spain

Ramón Gil-Casares has been appointed ambassador of Spain to the United States, having most recently served as Spain’s ambassador to Sudan and South Sudan since 2011.

A member of the Spanish Foreign Service since 1982, Ambassador Gil-Casares also previously served as an advisor to the Directorate General for Africa at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2008-11); as ambassador to South Africa, with concurrent accreditation to Comoros, Mauritius, Madagascar and Lesotho (2005-08); and secretary of state for foreign affairs (2002-04). In 1996, he was appointed director of the International Security Department in Prime Minister José Aznar’s cabinet, later serving as secretary of the Foreign Policy Council, formed in 2000 to coordinate the activities of different ministries and agencies abroad. In addition, he served as deputy director general of cooperatives at the Spanish Institute for Development Cooperation and later as Spain’s deputy consul general of Spain in New York in the early 1990s. Earlier postings including Equatorial Guinea, Uruguay and the Philippines.

Uganda

Alfred Nnam became deputy chief of mission on July 1, replacing Charles Sentongo, who departed the post in June. Nnam is a career diplomat who joined the Foreign Service in 1980 and is married with six children.