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US Ambassador Presents His Credentials to the Presidency

On October 01, 2004, His Excellency Niels Marquardt, the newly appointed US Ambassador to Equatorial Guinea presented his credentials to President Obiang Nguema, marking the beginning of his mission as United States Ambassador to Equatorial Guinea. Accompanying Ambassador Marquardt during the ceremony was Ms. Sarah Morrison, the new Chargé de Affaires for the American Embassy in Malabo.

The Honorable Niels Marquardt was confirmed by the United States Senate on June 25, 2004, appointed as U.S. Ambassador to Equatorial Guinea on July 26, 2004, and arrived in Cameroon on Friday, August 27, 2004. Ambassador Marquardt is accredited as ambassador to both Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea.

During the meeting with President Obiang Nguema, Ambassador Marquardt stated, "It is a great pleasure for me to be here in Equatorial Guinea and I look forward to working with you in strengthening the ties between our countries.”

Ambassador Marquardt's previous overseas assignments have taken him to Germany (1995-98), France (1990-94), Thailand twice (1981-83, 1987-90) and Brazzaville, Congo (1983-85). His foreign languages are French, German, Thai, and Spanish. His prior assignment was as the Special Coordinator for Diplomatic Readiness Initiative, 2001-2004. In this role, he was responsible for coordinating the largest increase in State Department recruiting, hiring, and training in its history. Prior to joining the Foreign Service in 1980, Ambassador Marquardt served from 1977 to 1979 as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Rwanda.