W. Stuart Symington (diplomat)


W. Stuart Symington IV is the former United States Ambassador to Nigeria from 2016 to 2019. Earlier he served tours as U.S. Ambassador to Rwanda and Djibouti, as U.S. Special Representative for the Central African Republic, and as Deputy Assistant Secretary.

Biography

Symington served most recently as U.S. Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Nigeria, U.S. Special Representaive for the Central African Republic. He served as Ambassador to Rwanda, and Deputy Chief of Mission and Charge' d'affaires in Niger. He was also United States Department of State's Representative at the Joint Forces Staff College in Norfolk, Virginia from 2005-06, Political Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq from 2004-05, and Deputy Director of the Department’s Office of West African Affairs from 2003-05.
Earlier in his career, Symington served in Ecuador, Mexico, SpaIn and Honduras and as a Pearson Fellow in the Office of U.S. Congressman Ike Skelton. Before joining the Department of State he practiced law in Missouri, New York, London, and Paris.
Symington received a B.A. from Brown University and a J.D. from Columbia Law School. He and his spouse Susan Ide Symington have been married for 40 years. A member of Symington family, he is the grandson of Senator Stuart Symington.

Ambassadorships

Djibouti

He served as the U.S. Ambassador to Djibouti from 2006 to 2008.

Rwanda

He served as the U.S. Ambassador to Rwanda from 2008 to 2011.

Nigeria

Symington was sworn in as Ambassador to Nigeria on October 3, 2016 and served until August 30, 2019.