Robert F. Godec

Robert Frank Godec (born 1956)[1] is an American career diplomat. He is a Career Minister in the Senior Foreign Service and from 2012 to 2019 served as the United States Ambassador to Kenya. From 2006 to 2009 he was the United States Ambassador to Tunisia.[2][3][4] On January 20, 2021 he became Acting Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of African Affairs.[5]

Robert Frank Godec
United States Ambassador to Kenya
In office
February 15, 2013  February 1, 2019
PresidentBarack Obama
Donald Trump
Preceded byScott Gration
Succeeded byKyle McCarter
United States Ambassador to Tunisia
In office
January 17, 2007  July 29, 2009
PresidentGeorge W. Bush
Barack Obama
Preceded byWilliam J. Hudson
Succeeded byGordon Gray
Personal details
Born1956 (age 6465)
Rantoul, Illinois
NationalityAmerican
Spouse(s)Lori G. Magnusson
Alma materUniversity of Virginia
Yale University
OccupationDiplomat

Wikileaks

In December 2010 a number of classified diplomatic cables written by Godec from Tunisia in 2008 and 2009[6] were released by WikiLeaks and published by Al Akhbar in Beirut.[7] Many of them were highly critical of the public and personal life of the Tunisian president, Zine el Abidine Ben Ali, and his family. Godec mentioned high-level corruption, a "sclerotic" regime, and deep dislike or even hatred for the president's wife, Leila Trabelsi, and her family.[7] There were later suggestions in the press that his comments could have fuelled the Tunisian Revolution, which began in December 2010 and led to the flight of Ben Ali to Saudi Arabia in January 2011.[8]

References

  1. Robert Frank Godec (1956–)
  2. Matt Bewig ([n.d.]) U.S. ambassador to Kenya: Who is Robert Godec?. AllGov.com. Accessed 13 March 2015.
  3. Ambassador Robert F. Godec. Embassy of the United States, Nairobi, Kenya. Accessed 13 March 2015.
  4. Robert F. Godec: U.S. Ambassador to Kenya. Office of Website Management, Bureau of Public Affairs, for the U.S. Department of State. Accessed 13 March 2015.
  5. Ambassador Robert F. Godec: Acting Assistant Secretary - Bureau of African Affairs. Office of Website Management, Bureau of Public Affairs, for the U.S. Department of State. Accessed 25 January 2021.
  6. [Robert Godec] (7 December 2010). US embassy cables: Tunisia - a US foreign policy conundrum. The Guardian. Accessed March 2015.
  7. Ian Black (7 December 2010). WikiLeaks cables: Tunisia blocks site reporting 'hatred' of first lady. The Guardian. Accessed March 2015.
  8. [s.n.] (15 January 2011). Wikileaks might have triggered Tunis’ revolution. Dubai: Al Arabiya News. Accessed March 2015.
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by
William J. Hudson
United States Ambassador to Tunisia
2006 – 2009
Succeeded by
Gordon Gray
Preceded by
Scott Gration
United States Ambassador to Kenya
2013 – 2019
Succeeded by
Kyle McCarter
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