ISLAMABAD: Washington’s designated ambassador to Pakistan took control of the United States embassy in Islamabad on Tuesday.
“Partnership with Pakistan is key to progress on regional security, trade and investment, the climate crisis, and human rights,” said the State Department following Donald Blome’s confirmation in March.
Blome, who was previously the US ambassador in Tunisia, has served American diplomatic missions in Kabul, Jerusalem, Cairo, Baghdad and Kuwait.
He is a career Foreign Service diplomat with long experience in the region who once worked in the Kabul embassy, shuttered last year during the US military withdrawal from Afghanistan.
According to his profile, Blome possesses over 20 years of experience working in the Middle East with postings in Jerusalem, Kabul and Cairo.
The last US ambassador to Pakistan, David Hale, left Islamabad in August 2018, shortly after the formation of the incumbent Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government. After his exit, Paul W. Jones took charge of the American mission in Islamabad as charge d’affaires.
He left Pakistan in August 2020, with incumbent Angela Aggeler serving as charge d’affaires in Islamabad since then.
