New American Ambassador Arrives in Kuwait

New U.S. Ambassador Deborah K. Jones arrived in Kuwait on April 19.  The following day, April 20, she presented a copy of her diplomatic credentials to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  At a future date the newly installed Ambassador will meet His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to formally present her diplomatic credentials. Ambassador Jones is the fifteenth United States Ambassador to the State of Kuwait since independence in 1961.  

Ambassador Jones is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, having been with the Department of State since 1982. Prior to her new assignment as Ambassador, she served as Principal Officer at the U.S. Consulate General in Istanbul, Turkey.  Her previous overseas assignments include: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Baghdad, Iraq; Buenos Aires, Argentina; and Damascus, Syria.  Her service in Washington, D.C. includes two years as Country Director of the Office of Arabian Peninsula and Iran Affairs in addition to assignments as Staff Assistant to the Assistant Secretary for Near East and South Asia Affairs, Acting Public Affairs Advisor to the Assistant Secretary for Near East Affairs, Desk Officer for Jordan, and duty in the Department’s Operations Center.  Ms. Jones has also served on the Board of Examiners for the Foreign Service.

Ambassador Jones is a graduate of Brigham Young University with a B.S. in history (magna cum laude) and a Distinguished Graduate of the National War College of the National Defense University with an M.S. in national security strategy.  She speaks Arabic, Spanish and French. The Ambassador is married to U.S. Foreign Service Officer Richard G. Olson, who is currently serving as the Deputy Permanent Representative to U.S. Mission NATO.  They have two daughters.