THE PROBLEM FOR US DIPLOMACY: 35 COUNTRIES WITHOUT US AMBASSADORS

1. Argentina  
2. Australia  
3. Austria  
4. Belarus*  
5. Belgium  
6. Belize  
7. Bolivia*  
8. Côte d'Ivoire  
9. Cuba  
10. Egypt  
11. Eritrea*  
12. European Union
13. Honduras
14. Hungary
15. Iceland
16. Ireland
17. Jamaica
18. Jordan
19. Mongolia
20. Morocco
21. OECD
22. OSCE
23. Qatar
24. Saudi Arabia
25. Somalia
26. South Africa
27. South Korea
28. Sudan*
29. Sweden
30. Syria*
31. Tajikistan
32. Tanzania
33. Trinidad and Tobago
34. Turkey
35. United Arab Emirates
36. UN Deputy Representative
37. UN / Geneva
38. UN / Human Rights Council
39. UN / Management & Reform
40. UN / Rome
41. UN / Vienna
42. UNESCO (U.S. will withdraw on 12/31/18)
43. Venezuela*
44. Yemen  

* denotes that the U.S. does not currently exchange Ambassadors with that country

Note

At a practical level, posts that are VACANT really impedes the work of embassies on the ground. Although there is usually a representative in charge, the charge d’affaires, in the absence of an ambassador, he or she just cannot  do the work that the United States needs to have performed on the ground in order to advance its interests.

The second issue really goes to US credibility in the world. By not appointing ambassadors in many countries that’s seen as a message that the US does not take the relationship seriously. And over time that can do real damage in terms of US ability to cooperate with another government.  

Although the North Korean nuclear crisis is the Trump administration’s top priority, the administration has yet to nominate an assistant secretary for East Asia or an ambassador to South Korea, crucial positions to deal with the issue.

In the midst of the war in Syria and growing worries over a possible conflict between Saudi Arabia and Iran, there is no confirmed assistant secretary for Near Eastern affairs or ambassadors to Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Jordan, Egypt or Qatar. And as Zimbabwe confronts the future after the departure of Robert Mugabe, the department is lacking a confirmed assistant secretary for African affairs or an ambassador to neighboring South Africa.

EU Countries

1. European Union
2. Austria  
3. Belgium  
4. Hungary  
5. Ireland  
6. Sweden 

Other Countries

1. Argentina  
2. Australia  
3. Belarus*  
4. Belize  
5. Bolivia*  
6. Côte d'Ivoire  
7. Cuba  
8. Egypt  
9. Eritrea*  
10. Honduras
11. Iceland
12. Jamaica
13. Jordan
14. Mongolia
15. Morocco
16. Qatar
17. Saudi Arabia
18. Somalia
19. South Africa
20. South Korea
21. Sudan*
22. Syria*
23. Tajikistan
24. Tanzania
25. Trinidad and Tobago
26. Turkey
27. United Arab Emirates
28. Venezuela*
29. Yemen  

International Organizations

1. OECD
2. OSCE  
3. UN Deputy Representative
4. UN / Geneva  
5. UN / Human Rights Council  
6. UN / Management & Reform
7. UN / Rome
8. UN / Vienna
9. UNESCO (U.S. will withdraw on 12/31/18)