Jeff Hovenier today takes over US ambassador to Kosovo

The so far working shipment of American Embassy Nicholas J. Giacobbe has indicated that his formalization ceremony will take place today.

Hovenier, who played a role in the negotiations that eventually led to Kosovo's declaration of independence, was appointed to this post by President Joe Biden in July 2021 and was unanimously confirmed by the US Senate on November 18th.

He spent most of his childhood in Bellingham and many of his family members still live in whatcom County. Hüvenier moved to Bellingham when he was in kindergarten after his father took a job as a professor at the University of Western Washington.

Hüvenier attended public school classes in Bellingham, where he graduated from high school in 1983. He graduated from Bachelor at Brigham Young University and then finished master studies at Georgetown University before starting his career for more than three decades as diplomat.

Much of his career is focused on security issues in Europe and Eurasia. Before being appointed to his new role as ambassador, Hovenier served as deputy head of mission at the US Embassy in Ankara.

In addition to Kosovo and Turkey, Havenier has also served in Germany, Croatia, Greece, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Serbia and Montenegro. He speaks German, Greek, Croatian and Spanish and has received numerous awards, including some from the Kosovo government.

In June 2018, former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci had decorated the diplomat Hovenier with the Jubilar Presidential Medal of Independence.

This is the first time Havenier serves as US ambassador.