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Former Ambassador Aubrey Hooks

United States Ambassador to the Republic of Cote d'Ivoire
(August 2004-August 2007)

Ambassador Aubrey Hooks
Ambassador Aubrey Hooks

Ambassador Aubrey Hooks was confirmed on May 6, 2004 by the United States Senate and was sworn in on August 6, 2004, as U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire.

Ambassador Hooks was the U. S. Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 2001 to 2004. Ambassador Hooks previously served as Ambassador to the Republic of Congo (Brazzaville) from 1996 to 1999. In the interim between these two assignments, he was the Coordinator for the African Crisis Response Initiative, a program that provided peacekeeping training to soldiers of participating countries in Africa.

Ambassador Hooks joined the Foreign Service in 1971. He served as a junior officer at the Embassy in Tel Aviv, Israel, from 1971 to 1973. Following Polish language training, he worked as a vice-consul in Warsaw, Poland from 1974 to 1976. From 1976 to 1978 he worked in the Department of State as Cultural Affairs Officer with responsibility for cultural and educational exchanges with Poland, Czechoslovakia, and Hungary. He was subsequently assigned as Economic Officer in Ankara, Turkey from 1979 to 1983. After a year of university training in economics, Ambassador Hooks headed the Economic Section at Embassy Port-au-Prince, Haiti, from 1984 to 1987. After Hebrew language training, he was reassigned as an Economic Officer to the Embassy in Tel Aviv. He attended the NATO Defense College (79th Class) in Rome in 1991 to 1992. In 1992 he was a member of the U.S. Delegation to the conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe which took place in Helsinki, Finland. From 1992 to 1995, Ambassador Hooks was the Economic Counselor at Embassy Warsaw, Poland. From 1995 to 1996, Ambassador Hooks was a member of the Senior Seminar (38th class), the most senior executive development program for career officials of the United States Government.

Ambassador Hooks was born in Mullins, South Carolina. He obtained a B.A. degree from the University of South Carolina in 1970. He subsequently studied at George Washington University. He obtained an M.A. degree in economics from the University of Michigan in 1984. Mr. Hooks speaks French, Polish and Hebrew.

Ambassador Hooks is married and has three sons and three daughters.

 


Ambassador

Welcome from Ambassador Hooks

Photo of Ambassador
Ambassador Aubrey Hooks

Welcome to the virtual Embassy of the United States of America in Côte d’Ivoire. You will find these pages filled with information about the United States, the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, and what we’re doing at the Embassy to sustain the strong relationship the two have enjoyed for over forty years. This relationship has been founded upon exchanges that have helped to develop our mutual understanding over the years. Through this web site, we hope to continue to expand, enhance, and enrich, those valuable exchanges.

The internet has changed the way we live, communicate, and understand the world around us. No longer are geography, cost, or time, the same constraints they were to communication. Ideas and opportunities that were once out of reach are now no farther away than the click of a button. This technology holds an enormous potential to engage, inform, and inspire, across all sorts of boundaries. We at the American Embassy, have endeavored to harness this tool to improve how we interact with the public.

This new Embassy web site offers our visitors volumes of new information about the United States, our policies, our principles, and our people. You will also find pages of information about the rich life, culture, and history of Côte d’Ivoire. I encourage you to explore our recently updated Online Library, offered by the Information Resource Centre, through which you can research a myriad of topics ranging from the environment to human rights.

In addition to placing more resources at your fingertips, we have also made interacting with the Embassy more accessible. Through this web site you can submit research questions to our librarians, sign-up to receive news updates, or even pose a question to me. I hope you will find these improvements useful and that you will check back regularly to see the latest information and features that we will be constantly adding to the site.  As the motto of our Information Resource Center captures so well, "We provide you the information you need for the decisions you need to make."

Sincerely,

Ambassador Aubrey Hooks

 


Ambassador

Ask the Ambassador

Ambassador Aubrey Hooks
Ambassador Aubrey Hooks is ready to respond to your question (Photo: Yacouba Soro/US Embassy)

Imagine it was just you and the Ambassador of the United States of America sitting down to chat. 

What would you ask him?  Do you have a question about American diplomacy or would you just like to know how he spends his day?

This is you chance to ask that question you've been wondering about...

Pose your question by writing to the Ambassador @ askamb@state.gov

Note: Questions related to consular issues, jobs, and funding requests should be addressed to the responsible section.


How do you become an ambassador?

All ambassadors are appointed by the President of the United States and approved by Congress.  Most ambassadors are what are called Career Foreign Service Officers, who have spent most of their lives living and working at US embassies around the world.  A smaller number are specially selected by the President of the United States because of distinguished service in others sectors, such as politics or business. 

What does an ambassador do?

An ambassador is the personal representative of the President in the country to which they are accredited, in my case to Cote d'Ivoire.  Therefore I'm responsible for effectively conveying the policies of the President to key members of the Ivoirian government, civil society, business, and the general public.  This takes place through meetings, speeches, and other official activities that I host.

How long have you been an ambassador?

This is my third ambassadorship.  Previously, I was ambassador to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire) and the Republic of the Congo.  Yes, they are two different countries.  A good fact to know for trivia quizzes.

How long will you stay in Cote d'Ivoire?

Most ambassadorial tours are three years in length.  However, remember that ambassadors serve at the pleasure of the President.  So, I will stay in Côte d'Ivoire as long as he needs me here.

 


Ambassador

Ambassador Hooks' Speeches

Ambassador Hooks
 Ambassador Hooks

Ambassador Hooks has actively sought out opportunities to speak with audiences on topics ranging from the arts to matters of politics.  The following are the text of some of the addresses that Ambassador Hooks has delivered during his tenure in Cote d'Ivoire.

Click here to view speeches by other embassy officials.

... Images from the Embassy (Archive) ...
  

Fourth of July 2007
 (Photo: Yacouba Soro/US Embassy)

 

Ambassador Hooks and DJ Rodrigue during the concert
(Photo: Yacouba Soro/Us Embassy)

 

Ambassador Hooks and Irigalé Haïlé, a traditional leader from Siégouékou (Photo: Yacouba Soro/US Embassy)

     
   

Ambassador Hooks and a delegation of Yatsékoi at the US Embassy (Photo: Yacouba Soro/US Embassy)

 

Ambassador Hooks and the Traditional Chiefs of Adjamé
(Photo: Yacouba Soro/US Embassy)

 

An American jazz group, the Charlie Porter Quartet, during the concert Abidjan Côte d'Ivoire
(Phtoto: Yacouba Soro/US Embassy)

Ambassador

Ambassador's Photo Gallery

 Photo Gallery (Archive)

Ambassador Hooks and a self help grant recipient sign documents  A group photo of Ambassador Hooks and recipients of a self help grant
Ambassador Hooks and Didier Drogba at the US Embassy - June 8, 2007
 (Photo: Yacouba Soro/US Embassy)
Ambassador Hooks and a self help grant recipient sign documents (Photo: Yacouba Soro/US Embassy)A group photo of Ambassador Hooks and recipients of a self help grant.

Ambassador Hooks and Miss CI taking  HIV test in a screening centre in BouakeAmbassador Hooks with the traditional and religious leaders of Ouangalo

Ambassador Hooks during his trip to the West of Cote d'Ivoire
March 20-27, 2007
(Photo: Marc/US Embassy)

Ambassador Hooks and Miss CI taking  HIV test in a screening centre in Bouake (Photo: Yacouba Soro/US Embassy) Ambassador Hooks with the traditional and religious leaders of Ouangalo (Photo: Brett Bruen/US Embassy)
   

For more Photos of the US Embassy Activities

The US Embassy Photo Gallery

The US Embassy Photo Albums

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- QUOTABLE -

" I cannot think of a group of Ivorian political leaders and community achievers as important to the country’s future as those of you gathered here this afternoon. In a successful democratic society, in a nation where the rule of law is honored and civil society institutions promoted -- in a land much like Cote d’Ivoire today -- concerned and involved citizens like you have a vital role to play in your communities. You are the finest of public servants working for the common good -- professional men and women with successful careers and businesses of your own, who have stepped forward and volunteered your time and talent to serve in the nation’s 56 Conseils Generaux as regional leaders, community advocates, and social activists. I salute you, and the work you do so ably…….. Think of the books in the U.S. Embassy's "Conseil Generale Special Collection" as another set of program tools you can use to help you do your job better. They were chosen to serve as a kind of rapid-response reference shelf for your office, giving your staff and constituents books that can be used to help prepare for discussions with local leaders, to generate ideas for community projects, or provide guidance to good people trying to make a difference in their neighborhoods."

- Ambassador Aubrey Hooks -
June 6, to the Presidents of Conseils Généraux
----------------
For the full text of the Ambassador's speeches, visit Ambassador's Speeches


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