Nomination of Kenneth L. Brown To Be United States Ambassador to Cote d'Ivoire

The President today announced his intention to nominate Kenneth L. Brown, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Cote d'Ivoire. He would succeed Dennis Kux.

Mr. Brown has served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, 1987 to present. Prior to this, he was consul general in Johannesburg, South Africa, 1984 - 1987. He was appointed U.S. Ambassador to the Congo in 1981 and has served in several capacities at the Department of State: Director of the Office of Central African Affairs, 1980 - 1981; Deputy Director of United Nations Political Affairs, 1979 - 1980; and Deputy Director of the Press Office and Associate Spokesman, 1977 - 1979. He was an information officer, 1975 - 1977, and a political officer, 1972 - 1975, in Brussels, Belgium. He was a desk officer for Zambia and Malawi at the Department of State, 1970 - 1972; and a program officer for the Department of State Reception Center in New York, 1969 - 1970. Mr. Brown entered the Foreign Service in 1961 and has also served as a political officer in Algiers and Kinshasa, Zaire.

Mr. Brown graduated from Pomona College (B.A., 1959), Yale University (M.A., 1960), and New York University (M.A., 1975). He was born December 6, 1936, in Seminole, OK. He served in the U.S. Army Reserve, 1960 - 1961. He is married and has three children.