Nuku’alofa, Tonga – U.S. Ambassador to Fiji, Kiribati, and Tonga, and Ambassador Designate to Nauru and Tuvalu, Marie Damour presented her credentials to His Majesty King Tupou VI on December 6.
In her meeting with the King, Ambassador Damour emphasized their two countries’ shared history, and her role to support long standing friendships and alliances in her new role, saying
“The U.S. and Tonga partnership is defined by common values and shared priorities, which will guide us forward as we strive towards enhanced regional security, shared prosperity, and resilience against global warming.”
Ambassador Damour most recently served as Consul General of the U.S. Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Previous assignments include Chargé d’Affaires, a.i, at the U.S. Embassy in Wellington, New Zealand; Minister Counselor for Consular Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Brasilia, Brazil; and the Consular Chief at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq. With almost three decades of service, Ms. Damour has worked in five different regions of the world and served successfully in a variety of leadership and policy-making roles.
While in Tonga, Ambassador Damour will also hold several high-level meetings with senior government officials, engage with U.S. government grantees, and visit U.S.-funded programs.
Ambassador Damour will next travel to Nauru and Tuvalu to present her credentials and further express the United States’ commitment to the Pacific.