Ruling party chair Ivanishvili hosts newly appointed US ambassador

Head and the founder of the ruling Georgian Dream party Bidzina Ivanishvili and his wife have hosted the new Ambassador of the US to Georgia Kelly Degnan and her husband at Ivanishvili’s business center in Tbilisi, the Georgian Dream press office reports.

It was an introductory meeting on US-Georgia relations, strategic partnership and prospects of future cooperation,” the Georgian Dream press office said earlier today.

Degnan officially assumed her duties at the end of January 2020. 

Degnan, who has 25 years of diplomatic experience, was sworn in at the US Department of State on January 17, 2020.

Ivanishvili and Degnan. Photo: Georgian Dream press office. 

• The US Senate approved Degnan, a recipient of the Secretary of State’s Expeditionary Service Award, in December 2019. 
• The US President Donald Trump presented Californian Degnan for the role in September 2019. 
• The post has been vacant since March 2018.
• Previous Ambassador Ian Kelly announced his retirement once his mission in Georgia concluded at the end of March 2018, bringing an end to his 33-year career.