Press Releases
Ambassador Donald H. Gips Is Credentialed as the 26th Ambassador of the United States of America to the Republic of South Africa
October 1, 2009
Pretoria - Donald H. Gips of Colorado presented his credentials to President Jacob Zuma today as part of the official ceremony that credentialed him as the 26th Ambassador of the United States of America to the Republic of South Africa.
Ambassador Gips stated in his speech for the ceremony, “Secretary of State Clinton and President Obama have sent me here with a very straight forward mission: to help you achieve your vision through building a true strategic alliance that reaches across all sectors of American and South African society.” He continued by affirming that, “The U.S.-South African relationship is at the foundation of our relations with all of Africa. Our citizens do business with each other, travel to each others’ most beloved places, study together and enjoy much of the same culture and music. Our governments work together to fight HIV/AIDS, build peace and stability around the continent, and bring more jobs and prosperity to our people. Through an enhanced strategic alliance our two great democracies can achieve great things for our people and the world and I look forward to dedicating myself to this great cause.”
Full text of the speech and Ambassador Gips biography are below.
Ambassador Donald H. Gips’ Speech for Credentialing Ceremony
Your Excellency, President Zuma;
Honorable Ministers;
Diplomatic colleagues;
Members of the press;
And others here today.
I am deeply honored that President Obama has asked me to represent the United States of America as his Ambassador to South Africa.
Kuyi ntokozo kimina Ukuba la Emzansi Afrika: It is my pleasure to be here in South Africa.
This is a new era in our relations, and I consider it a privilege to serve my country in South Africa at this historic time.
The story of South Africa’s recent history is the story of people’s potential to do great things. The peaceful changeover from apartheid to a true multiracial democracy is one of the great miracles of our time. Yet the damage that apartheid left in its wake poses huge challenges to the legacy of this miracle.
The United States, and the world, need South Africa to succeed in realizing its full promise, building a nation where all share in the prosperity of this great country, where jobs are plentiful, HIV is tamed, where high quality education, housing and health care are available to all, crime is defeated, women feel safe on the streets and in their homes, and the blessings of economic development extend beyond the cities to the rural areas and villages of South Africa.
President Zuma, these are the goals you have laid out for your country and as President Obama said in his speech in Ghana, we “start from the simple premise that Africa's future is up to Africans.” Secretary of State Clinton and President Obama have sent me here with a very straight forward mission: to help you achieve your vision through building a true strategic alliance that reaches across all sectors of American and South African society.
Our nations have already built the first leg of this alliance in the fight against HIV/AIDS and other health threats, including TB. Over the last five years, working in close cooperation with the South African Department of Health, the United States has invested over 10 billion rand in NGOs, community organizations and government partners to build the infrastructure that will allow South Africa to fight the spread of AIDS and improve the health and well-being of South Africans infected with or affected by HIV and other life-threatening illnesses.
Our mutual work to improve global health is enhanced by our shared economic priorities, which seek to bring the jobs and growth necessary to pull out of the global recession and entrenched poverty. We look forward to strengthening our partnership on initiatives important to South Africa, including education, energy, rural development, crime, women’s empowerment, and entrepreneurial projects.
Our two nations are also working together to improve regional security and stability. South Africa is the continent’s anchor: your role as a regional negotiator for disputes on the continent, including Zimbabwe’s power-sharing agreement, is critical, as is the wide range of developmental and humanitarian assistance that you provide to your neighbors.
South Africa plays a key role in regional organizations and global multinational organizations as the leading African voice on global issues, such as nuclear proliferation. South Africa will star on the world stage next June as the first African host of the FIFA World Cup (where I personally hope to go to the finals and watch the United States play Bafana Bafana for the Cup).
The U.S.-South African relationship is at the foundation of our relations with all of Africa. Our citizens do business with each other, travel to each others’ most beloved places, study together and enjoy much of the same culture and music. Our governments work together to fight HIV/AIDS, build peace and stability around the continent, and bring more jobs and prosperity to our people. Through an enhanced strategic alliance our two great democracies can achieve great things for our people and the world and I look forward to dedicating myself to this great cause.
And now Mr. President, I am pleased to present my letter of credence and the letter of recall from my predecessor.
Ambassador Donald H. Gips Biography
Ambassador Donald Gips was nominated as Ambassador to South Africa by President Barack Obama on June 4 and confirmed by the Senate on July 7, 2009. Donald Gips had previously held the post of Assistant to the President and Director for Presidential Personnel.
Prior to serving in the White House, Gips helped lead then President-elect Obama’s Presidential Transition Team as a Co-Chair for the Agency Review team.
From 1998-2008, Gips was Group Vice President of Global Corporate Development for Level 3 Communications, where he led merger and acquisition efforts and was the Chief Strategy Officer.
Gips previously served in the White House as Chief Domestic Policy Advisor to Vice President Al Gore. Mr. Gips also served as Chief of the International Bureau at the Federal Communications Commission where he was responsible for the WTO negotiations and all spectrum policy, and helped launch the Americorps Program at the Corporation for National Service. Before entering government, he was an Executive Manager at McKinsey & Company.
Gips received an MBA from the Yale School of Management and received his undergraduate degree from Harvard University.
Elizabeth Berry Gips Biography
Liz Berry Gips has a wide range of experience in the fields of international development, education and NGO management. From 2003 until May 2009, Mrs. Gips worked for Global Education Fund (GEF), an international development organization that works to improve the lives of orphans and vulnerable children through education. GEF has established libraries, scholarship programs and leadership development programs in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Mrs. Gips served as the Program Director of GEF from 2005-2007 and the Executive Director from 2007- 2009.
Prior to her work with GEF, Mrs. Gips was involved with a number of U.S. education initiatives. From 1991-1997, Mrs Gips was a senior program officer at New American Schools, a $100 million effort to rethink U.S. public schools through comprehensive, whole school reform. She also served as a consultant to several education start-up organizations, assisting them with growth and sustainability strategies. In addition, she worked as an analyst for the venture capital fund, Children's Edu-Investors, focused on investing in innovative technologies for public schools. She has also served as a Board member on a range of school boards, regional education committees, education foundations and community service non-profits.
Earlier in her career, she advised multinational corporations as a management consultant at William Kent International, Inc and conducted USAID assignments as a senior consultant at Price Waterhouse.
Liz and her husband, Don Gips, have three boys, ages 17, 15 and 12. She received a BA from Williams College and an MBA from the Yale School of Management.
For more information, please contact Embassy press officer:
Sharon Hudson-Dean 079-111-8276