PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti – The new Ambassador of the United States in Haiti, Ambassador Kenneth H. Merten, has arrived Port-au-Prince. On Monday August 24, 2009, he presented his letters of accreditation to the President of the Republic, his Excellency Rene Préval.
“Relations between Haiti and the United States should be based on three ideas: respect, partnership and responsibility… This means the United States should always fulfill commitments we have made to Haiti. It also means the Haitian Government must do all it can to meet its own goals of development and good governance.” said Ambassador Merten. “I know that these are still difficult times and Haiti has many, many needs. I have no illusions. Yet I also feel optimistic, because Haiti now has many of the elements to move into a more peaceful, democratic and prosperous future.”
He also reiterated the United States’ support to Haiti and said that he is looking forward to work as a friend and a partner of Haiti.
Kenneth Merten is a career Foreign Service Officer who joined the Foreign Service in 1987, and has served two previous diplomatic assignments in Haiti. Most recently, Ambassador Merten has served as a Deputy Executive Secretary to U.S. Secretary of State Clinton and earlier to U.S. Secretary of State Rice. Ambassador Merten’s overseas assignments include the U.S. Embassy in Paris, the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince, the U.S. Mission to the European Union in Brussels and the U.S. Embassy in Bonn.
Ambassador Kenneth H. Merten (R) talking to Haitian President Rene Préval during the presentation of the Ambassador’s letters of accreditation
Ambassador Merten’s Washington experience includes two assignments in the State Department Operations Center, which supports the daily work and travel of the Secretary of State. He also has worked in the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs and on the Cuba Desk, and worked for the Special Advisors on Haiti in 1993-1994.
Ambassador Merten holds a B.A. from Miami University in Ohio, and a Masters in Public Administration from American University. Studies at the Université d’Aix-Marseille in France and at Karl Franzens Universität in Austria complement his other academic work.
Ambassador Merten was born in St. Louis, Missouri and considers Hudson, Ohio his hometown. He is married to Susan Greenman Merten and has two children.
