JAMAICA’S new ambassador to the United States, Ralph Thomas, has assumed duties in Washington, DC.

Ambassador Thomas arrived in the US capital on September 4 and has already delivered accreditation letters to the US Department of State. He officially presents credentials to US President Barack Obama on September 17 and on September 18 to the secretary general of the Organisation of American States, Luis Almagro, as Jamaica’s Permanent Representative to the OAS.

Appointed by Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Senator A J Nicholson on August 21, 2015 as Jamaica’s 12th ambassador to the United States, Ambassador Thomas succeeds Professor Stephen Vasciannie, whose ambassadorial tour of duty in the United States concluded in June.

Thomas, who was until recently ambassador to the People’s Republic of China, has served in Beijing during a crucial period in Jamaica-China relations, especially in the economic development arena. He focused on strengthening that relationship through the development of key areas of investment.

The former University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona School of Business and Management teaching fellow, he has experience in multi-national banking and trade financing and had served as vice-president of the Bank of New York for 22 years.