By Simon Nare
The US embassy has provided clarity on the nomination process of its ambassador to serve in South Africa after US President Donald Trump announced his pick for the position.
Trump said earlier this week that he wanted Leo Brent Bozell III to fill the position. Bozell is described as a staunch conservative. The former ambassador to South Africa is Leo Brent.
The embassy said the nomination of a US ambassador followed a constitutional procedure that included review and confirmation by that country’s Senate.
“While the president nominates a candidate, the nominee does not assume the role until the Senate completes its process, which ensures that all appointments meet the necessary qualifications and receive legislative approval,” it said in a statement.
It listed the key steps in the process as follows:
* The President formally submits the nominee’s name to the U.S. Senate.
* The Senate Foreign Relations Committee reviews the nomination and may hold hearings.
* If approved by the committee, the nomination proceeds to a vote by the full Senate.
* Upon Senate confirmation, the nominee is officially appointed and may then present credentials to the host country.
“Until this process is complete, the nominee does not yet serve in an official capacity. The United States remains committed to constructive diplomatic engagement with South Africa and will continue working together on shared priorities,” it said in a statement on Friday
The nomination of Bozell comes on the back of the Trump administration expelling SA ambassador Ebrahim Rasool after he was declared persona non grata and ordered to leave the US.
He has been labelled as anti-Trump.
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