DAR ES SALAAM – In a ceremony at Ikulu today, President Dr. John Pombe Magufuli accepted the credentials of the new United States Ambassador to the United Republic of Tanzania, Dr. Donald J. Wright. Dr. Wright becomes the 19th U.S. Ambassador to Tanzania.
Ambassador Wright reaffirmed to President Magufuli the strength of the U.S.-Tanzania partnership, stating “I look forward to working to strengthen our bilateral relationship on health, security, governance, and education.”
Ambassador Donald J. Wright was sworn in as the United States Ambassador to the United Republic of Tanzania on April 2, 2020 in Washington, D.C. Ambassador Wright has been a leader in public health and health policy both domestically and internationally for the last seventeen years, including service at the United States Department of Health and Human Services, the United States Department of Labor, and the United Nations.
Prior to being named Ambassador to Tanzania, Ambassador Wright served as the acting Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the U.S. Government’s principal health agency. He also directed the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP), the Office of Research Integrity (ORI) and the Office of Occupational Medicine (OSHA). In addition, he served as the Executive Director of the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition (PCSFN.)
Prior to entering government service, Dr. Wright spent nearly two decades as practicing physician in his home state of Texas, focusing on family medicine and occupational health. He is joined in Tanzania by his wife Kathy.