The Jamaican foreign ministry has announced the appointment of 30-year career diplomat Franz Hall as ambassador-designate to Cuba.

The ambassador-designate, who is currently under-secretary with responsibility for the oversight of the Diaspora, Protocol and Consular Affairs Division, is expected to assume duties this month and will also have jurisdiction for Jamaica’s relations with the Dominican Republic.

Ambassador Hall has been described by Foreign Minister Kamina Johnson Smith as “a well-seasoned and dedicated foreign service officer, who brings to the position over 30 years’ experience in multilateral, bilateral, diasporic and consular diplomacy”.

She said she was confident Hall would use the opportunity of this new diplomatic assignment to strengthen the good relations and cooperation between Jamaica and Cuba.

Hall has served as counsellor in the Jamaican mission in Geneva (1997-1999); deputy consul general at the Consulate General of Jamaica in New York (1999-2002); minister-counsellor at the Jamaican Embassy in Washington, DC (2008-2012); consul general at the Consulate General of Jamaica in Miami (2013-2018) and has been director of protocol since 2018.

He holds a Master of Arts in International Relations from City College in New York and a Bachelor of Science in International Relations from The University of the West Indies. He is a past student of Jamaica College.