In May, co-chairs Stelle Feuers and Sharon Kolby hosted a discussion for Orange County chapter members on statecraft in the Horn of Africa.
“I belong to a group focusing on diplomacy at USC that was having Ambassador Mike Hammer as a speaker,” explains Stelle. “He was at USC to attend his daughter’s graduation, and agreed to talk about soft power democratic statecraft as it pertained to his work as Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa (Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia and Djibouti). He explained his role in fostering peace-building, democracy and the rule of law there.”
Ambassador Hammer was named the United States Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa on June 1, 2022. His most recent assignment abroad was as the U.S. ambassador to the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 2018-2022. His over three decades of service include the positions of Acting Senior Vice President of the National Defense University (NDU); U.S. ambassador to Chile from 2014-2016; and Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs from March 2012 to August 2013.
Following Ambassador Hammer’s online remarks, AWIU members Cheryl Crockey, Stelle Feuers, Sharon Kolby, Ferial Nassiradeh, Sheryl Raki, Joelle Thomason, and Joelda Tomlinson had a communal phone discussion. “It’s wonderful to learn more about this part of the world from an ambassador’s point of view,” said Sharon Kolby. “There is so much unrest there, and for so many different reasons. It’s helpful to hear from someone who is probably the number one subject matter expert in the world on that area.”
Ambassador Hammer was named the United States Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa on June 1, 2022. His most recent assignment abroad was as the U.S. ambassador to the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 2018-2022. His over three decades of service include the positions of Acting Senior Vice President of the National Defense University (NDU); U.S. ambassador to Chile from 2014-2016; and Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs from March 2012 to August 2013.
Following Ambassador Hammer’s online remarks, AWIU members Cheryl Crockey, Stelle Feuers, Sharon Kolby, Ferial Nassiradeh, Sheryl Raki, Joelle Thomason, and Joelda Tomlinson had a communal phone discussion. “It’s wonderful to learn more about this part of the world from an ambassador’s point of view,” said Sharon Kolby. “There is so much unrest there, and for so many different reasons. It’s helpful to hear from someone who is probably the number one subject matter expert in the world on that area.”