Dennis B. Hankins

Dennis Bruce Hankins[1] (born 1959[2]) is an American diplomat who has served as United States Ambassador to Mali since 2019.

Dennis B. Hankins
United States Ambassador to Mali
Incumbent
Assumed office March 15, 2019
President	Donald Trump Joe Biden
Preceded by	Paul Folmsbee
United States Ambassador to Guinea
In office October 22, 2015 – January 29, 2019
President	Barack Obama Donald Trump
Preceded by	Alexander M. Laskaris
Succeeded by	Simon Henshaw
Personal details
Born	1959 (age 61–62)
Spouse(s)	Mira Hankins
Children	Danu Hankins
Alma mater	Georgetown University, National War College

Consular career

Hankins joined the Foreign Service in 1984. His first overseas postings were as vice-consul in Recife, Brazil and then in the U.S. Embassy in Thailand. In 1989, Hankins was posted to Sudan and then in 1992, given the job of consul in Haiti.[3]

Four years later, Hankins was again posted to Africa to become the political and economic counselor in the Kinshasa embassy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, working there during the First Congo War and, for a lesser time, the Second Congo War. He moved to be the political and economic counselor in Lisbon, Portugal in 1999, spending just two years in the job before returning to Africa to be the deputy chief of mission in Maputo, Mozambique.[3][4]

In 2004, Hankins was appointed consul general in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia but was recalled to Washington to become the deputy director of the Office of Peacekeeping in the Bureau of International Organizations.[5][6] He returned to Africa in 2007 to be deputy chief of mission in Nouakchott, Mauritania and, in 2010, returned to Khartoum, Sudan as the deputy chief of mission.[7]

In 2012, Hankins was given the post of consul general in Sao Paulo, Brazil, staying in the post until his nomination as United States Ambassador to Guinea by President Obama on the 8 July 2015.[8] He was confirmed by the Senate on 22 October the same year.[9]

On 13 August 2018, President Trump announced his intention to nominate Hankins to be the U.S. Ambassador to Mali.[10] The nomination was tendered to the Senate on the August 16, 2018 and he was confirmed on January 2, 2019.[11] He presented his credentials to President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta on March 15, 2019.[12]

Personal life

Hankins has a wife, Mira, and a son, Danu, who works for the U.S. Navy.[3] He can speak French and Portuguese.[10]

References

1. "Statement of Dennis Bruce Hankins" (PDF). U.S. Senate. 26 September 2018. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
2. "Dennis B. Hankins (1959–)". U.S. Department of State. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
3. Straehley, Steve. "U.S. Ambassador to Guinea: Who Is Dennis Hankins?". AllGov. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
4. "Dennis B. Hankins". U.S. Department of State. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
5. "Ambassador Dennis Hankins". U.S. Embassy in Guinea. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
6. "Dennis B. Hankins U.S. Ambassador to Mali". U.S. Embassy in Mali. Archived from the original on 6 August 2020. Retrieved 6 August 2020.
7. "Dennis Hankins". LinkedIn. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
8. "PN631 — Dennis B. Hankins — Department of State". Congress.gov. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
9. "BHS grad new U.S. Ambassador to Guinea". The Bemidji Pioneer. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
10. "President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate Personnel to Key Administration Posts". White House. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
11. "PN2390 — Dennis B. Hankins — Department of State". Congress.gov. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
12. "U.S. Ambassador Dennis B. Hankins Presents Credentials to President Keïta". U.S. Embassy in Mali. Archived from the original on 6 August 2020. Retrieved 19 March 2019.