Deborah Akinyosoye
United States President Donald Trump has recalled Richard Mills, the US ambassador to Nigeria, as part of a sweeping diplomatic shake-up affecting more than two dozen American missions worldwide, with Africa emerging as the most impacted continent.
Nigeria is among 15 African countries whose envoys have been recalled.
Others affected on the continent include Algeria, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Gabon, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Madagascar, Mauritius, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, Somalia and Uganda.
In the Asia-Pacific region, the shake-up affected Fiji, Laos, the Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines and Vietnam, while Armenia, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Slovakia were impacted in Europe. Guatemala and Suriname were affected in the western hemisphere.
State Department officials told The Guardian UK that the affected chiefs of mission were informed last week that their tenures would end in January.
Although the diplomats had initially survived an early purge during the first months of Trump’s second term , largely aimed at political appointees , the situation changed on Wednesday when notices of their imminent departures were issued from Washington, DC.
According to Politico, the recall forms part of a broader effort to align US diplomatic representation abroad with President Trump’s “America First” foreign policy priorities.
A State Department official confirmed that the ambassadors were appointed during the administration of former President Joe Biden and would now conclude their postings as chiefs of mission in January.
Envoys typically serve between three and four years. While their roles as ambassadors will end, the officials said the diplomats are not losing their foreign service jobs and may return to Washington for other assignments if they choose.
Mills, who was confirmed as US ambassador to Nigeria in May, is being recalled at a time of strained US–Nigeria relations, particularly over visa issues and security concerns.
However, his departure also comes amid ongoing efforts by both countries to strengthen bilateral ties.
Recently, Mills met with Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, to discuss areas of cooperation, following comments by US Congressman Riley Moore that Washington and Abuja were close to finalising a “strategic security framework” aimed at tackling terrorism in Nigeria.