Washington: Martina Anna Tkadlec Strong has been nominated by President Joe Biden to be the next US ambassador to the UAE, the White House announced Friday.
Strong, a career diplomat, currently leads the US Mission to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as Chargé d’Affaires. She will succeed John Rakolta, who was appointed by former President Donald Trump.
Strong has previously served at US embassies in Bulgaria, Iraq, the Czech Republic and Barbados. A career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Strong served in Iraq as Political Minister Counselor in Baghdad and as the US Army’s Political Advisor in Basra. She speaks Arabic, Czech, Polish, French, German, Russian, and Bosnian.
Prior to her posting in Riyadh, she was the Deputy Chief of Mission in Bulgaria. Her other overseas postings included Poland, the Czech Republic, Bosnia Herzegovina, and France.
The US State Department also stated that Strong spent two years as Director on the National Security Council at the White House, where she headed the US government’s multi-agency effort to organise the 2004 G-8 Summit in Sea Island, as well as two other G-8 Summits and various multilateral meetings.
Strong has been honoured with numerous awards, including the AFSA Sinclaire Language Award and 11 Superior Honour and Senior Performance Awards.
During her service in Iraq, the US Army awarded her the Meritorious Civilian Service Award and the Superior Civilian Service Award.
In Bulgaria, the Defence Minister honoured her with the Meritorious Service Medal for her contributions to the US-Bulgarian security partnership.
