Statement

Statement of Louis J. Nigro, Jr.

Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee,

I am honored to appear before you today as the President's nominee to be the next Ambassador of the United States of America to the Republic of Chad. I thank President Bush and Secretary Rice for entrusting me with this important responsibility. If confirmed by the Senate, I will work with the Committee and others in Congress to advance the interests of the United States in Chad and the region. Joining me here today are my wife Tarja, my brother Robert, and his wife, Anita. My wife and I met in Chad where I served in 1988-90; we were married in Haiti 1994 while serving there. She has been an essential part of my Foreign Service career; without her love, support, and counsel, I could not be here before you today.

Since joining the Foreign Service in 1980, besides my service in Chad and Haiti, I have served overseas in Guinea, Cuba, The Holy See, and The Bahamas, as well as in Washington in the Department of State's Policy Planning Council and Operations Center, and in the offices of Western European Affairs and of Canadian Affairs. I have also represented the Department of State at the U.S. Army War College and as Diplomat in Residence at the University of Houston.

Mr. Chairman, the Republic of Chad is situated in the heart of Africa and shares borders with six other countries, including Sudan, Libya, and the Central African Republic. Chad affects and is affected by events in all of its neighbors. Most of its estimated 10 million people – who form a rich mosaic of languages, religions, and ethnic groups -- are herders or farmers, suffering levels of poverty, illiteracy, disease, and infant mortality that are among the highest in the world.

Chad for many years was synonymous with isolation and civil disorder. The USAID Mission was closed in 1995; the Peace Corps suspended operations indefinitely in 2006. But U.S. interests in Chad have expanded considerably in the past several years. Chad today is the scene of a humanitarian crisis of epic proportions: In Eastern Chad, Darfur refugees and Chadian displaced persons flee violence in their homelands while refugees from the Central African Republic seek safety in southern Chad. The country's vast spaces and porous borders leave it vulnerable to infiltration by terrorists. And Chad is now home to the largest single U.S. private-sector investment in Sub-Saharan Africa, the Exxon/Mobil-managed Cameroon-Chad oil pipeline project; Chad and the World Bank have agreed to an innovative system for monitoring and managing the revenues it produces.

Mr. Chairman, the United States has three key strategic goals in Chad: First, to maintain adequate levels of protection and assistance to the hundreds of thousands of Sudanese and Central African refugees and displaced Chadians, and to encourage Chad to contribute to a durable solution to the Darfur conflict. Second, to strengthen Chad's capacity to deal with terrorist threats. And third, to support Chad's political evolution to democratic governance that respects human rights and upholds the rule of law. This last is essential: A more democratic Chad would be a more stable and more effective partner in addressing regional problems, including the Darfur conflict, chronic instability in the Central African Republic, and foreign terrorist threats.

There is much I hope to accomplish in Chad, if the Senate decides to confirm my nomination as Ambassador. First and foremost, I would commit myself to ensuring the continued safety and welfare of the American community. Second, working closely with my counterparts in the region and beyond, I would reinforce our efforts on the ground to provide humanitarian relief to refugees and displaced persons and to expedite the deployment of peacekeeping forces to protect them and the humanitarian workers assisting them. Third, I would focus the Embassy's work in support of multilateral efforts to restore peace and stability in Chad and in the region, to permit the refugees and displaced persons to return home safely. Fourth, I would maintain bilateral and multilateral cooperation on counter-terrorism efforts. Finally, I would continue our efforts to promote democracy, human rights and the rule of law, while helping Chad to deliver better health, educational, and other social services to its people and promoting increased trade, investment, and economic growth.

With these as my goals, should the Senate confirm my nomination, I would hope to help Chad to be more secure, more prosperous, and more democratic – and therefore a more effective partner for the United States in the region.

Mr. Chairman, Members of the Committee, I thank you for the opportunity to appear before you.