Senate confirms new US Ambassador to Georgia

The man nominated by United States (US) President Barack Obama to be America’s new Ambassador to Georgia has been confirmed by the United States (US) Senate.

Confirmed by the Senate: Career FSO Ian C. Kelly to be #Ambassador to #Georgia. @EmbassyTbilisi

— AFSA (@afsatweets) June 24, 2015

The US Senate confirmed Ian Kelly as the next US Ambassador to Georgia at a session yesterday. Kelly will replace current Ambassador Richard Norland later this summer once his three-year term ends.

Ambassador Kelly and his wife Francesca plan to arrive in Tbilisi in September.

Who is Ambassador Kelly?

Throughout his career Kelly has held many significant positions including top roles in the US State Department, including as head of the Russian Affairs Department and Department spokesman under Secretary Hillary Clinton, and with the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). He also has extensive experience working on issues relating to NATO, Russia, and the Balkans.

Kelly’s most recent role saw him serve as the US Department of State’s Diplomat in Residence at the University of Illinois at Chicago, a position he has held since 2013. Prior to that, Kelly served for three years (2010-2013) as US Representative, with the rank of Ambassador, to the OSCE in Vienna, Austria.

Speaking to media is not new to Kelly; from 2009-2010 he was the State Department’s Bureau of Public Affairs spokesperson, was the director of the Office of Russia Affairs in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs from 2007-2009, and Public Affairs Officer at the US Mission to NATO from 2004 to 2007.

In his earlier career Kelly has held US representative roles in Italy, Turkey, Austria, Serbia and the former USSR.

What is Kelly's vision for US-Georgia relations?

In March this year US President Barack Obama nominated Kelly, an American statesman and career diplomat, as the man to replace Norland.

At the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations hearing in May, Kelly spoke about his vision for future US-Georgia relations. He condemned Russia’s occupation of Georgian territory, said the US would continue supporting Georgia as it strived towards Euro-Atlantic integration and personally promised to help support the country’s economic development.

"If confirmed, I will support Georgia’s focus on the future, particularly economic development, to create jobs and contribute to the long term stability of the country and the region,” he said at the Senate hearing.

Farewell to Ambassador Richard Norland

Ambassador Norland has extended his congratulations to incoming Ambassador Kelly. 

On previous occasion Norland spoke highly of his term in Georgia and said he was saddened to leave the country as it was a place he had grown to love. 

In a statement Norland said: "I am pleased that the White House has nominated such an experienced and well-respected colleague to succeed me later this year here in Georgia. One of the most difficult parts of being a professional diplomat is to contemplate leaving a place one has come to know and love, but that is in the nature of this profession."

Norland has held the position of US Ambassador to Georgia since 2012.

Wherever we are, Mary [Norland’s wife] and I will always hold Georgia and Georgians close to our hearts," he said.

Read more about the new Ambassador’s vision of US-Georgia future relations.