By: The Fatu Network News Desk
The United States Embassy in Banjul has announced the appointment of Robert Anderson as its new Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM), a role he assumes while serving as Chargé d’Affaires. The announcement came on August 22nd, just a day after the Embassy bid farewell to outgoing Ambassador Sharon L. Cromer, who concluded her tenure on August 21st.
Ambassador Cromer, who began her service in The Gambia on March 14th 2022, was credited with strengthening bilateral ties, fostering people-to-people connections, and championing Gambian women, girls, and artists during her tenure. In its farewell statement, the Embassy praised her legacy, saying her leadership “exemplified the profound power of diplomacy.”
Mr. Anderson, a career member of the U.S. Foreign Service, brings wide-ranging experience in diplomacy and public engagement to his new posting in The Gambia. Most recently, he served at the U.S. Consulate General in Mumbai, India, where he led educational, cultural, and media programs across five Indian states. His previous overseas assignments include roles in Armenia, the Netherlands, Pakistan, Uruguay, and Nigeria.
In Washington, D.C., Anderson has held senior advisory positions, including as Africa Policy Advisor in the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs. Earlier in his career, he served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Armenia and an AmeriCorps Volunteer in his home state of Oregon. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Oregon State University and a master’s degree in International Development from the University of Denver.
The Embassy noted that Anderson is fluent in Dutch and Armenian and proficient in Spanish. He is married to a fellow Foreign Service Officer, and the couple has two children.
With Cromer’s departure marking the end of a significant diplomatic chapter, Anderson’s arrival signals the continuation of U.S. engagement in The Gambia. The Embassy invited Gambians to join in welcoming him to the “Smiling Coast of Africa.”
