Kampala, Uganda: The United States has recalled its envoys to Uganda and Rwanda as part of a sweeping diplomatic shake-up that has seen nearly 30 senior career diplomats withdrawn from ambassadorial and other top embassy postings worldwide, in a move aimed at realigning Washington’s foreign service with President Donald Trump’s “America First” agenda.
According to two US State Department officials familiar with the decision, chiefs of mission in at least 29 countries were notified last week that their tenures would end in January. The affected diplomats were all appointed during the Biden administration and had initially survived an earlier recall of political appointees during the opening months of Trump’s second term.
Africa has been hit hardest by the decision, with ambassadors recalled from 15 countries, including Uganda, Rwanda, Somalia, Nigeria, Senegal, Egypt and Niger, underscoring a significant recalibration of US diplomatic engagement on the continent.
Other recalls span Asia, Europe, Oceania and the Americas, signalling a broad-based restructuring rather than a region-specific action.
Why the Envoys Were Recalled
US officials say the move is part of a deliberate effort by President Trump to install diplomats who closely align with his administration’s foreign policy priorities.
A State Department spokesperson described ambassadors as “personal representatives of the president,” tasked with advancing the administration’s agenda abroad, and said periodic changes are a “standard process in any administration.”
However, the scale and timing of the recalls, particularly in Africa, have raised concern among some US lawmakers and the union representing American diplomats, who fear the move could disrupt continuity in sensitive regions.
Africa Most Affected
Besides Uganda and Rwanda, envoys have been recalled from Algeria, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Gabon, Côte d’Ivoire, Madagascar, Mauritius, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and Somalia.
Asia follows with recalls from Laos, the Philippines, Vietnam, Nepal and Sri Lanka, while Europe saw ambassadors withdrawn from Armenia, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Slovakia.
In Oceania, postings are ending in Fiji, the Marshall Islands and Papua New Guinea, while Guatemala and Suriname were affected in the Americas.
The diplomatic recalls come just days after President Trump expanded US travel restrictions to 39 countries, up from 15 previously, citing what the White House described as “persistent and severe deficiencies in screening, vetting and information-sharing.”
Several African countries are among those affected, including Tanzania, Nigeria, Senegal and Zambia.
“The move is necessary to prevent the entry of foreign nationals about whom the United States lacks sufficient information to assess the risks they pose,” the White House said, noting that the measures are intended to strengthen immigration enforcement and national security.
The restrictions apply to both visitors and prospective immigrants and are expected to take effect in January.
Implications for Uganda
While Washington has not cited country-specific reasons for recalling the US envoy to Uganda, analysts say the move reflects broader policy recalibration rather than bilateral tensions.
Uganda remains a key US partner on regional security, peacekeeping and counterterrorism in the Great Lakes and Horn of Africa regions, but diplomatic observers say changes in personnel could temporarily slow engagement as new envoys are appointed.
For now, the recall places Uganda among a growing list of countries adjusting to a more assertive and tightly controlled US foreign policy posture under President Trump’s second term.
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