U.S. names former Chad envoy as new Consul General in Nigeria
Rick Swart has been appointed as the new U.S. Consul General to Nigeria, taking over the post on July 16.
He brings over two decades of diplomatic experience, having previously served in Chad, Congo, and several other countries.
The U.S.-Nigeria relationship faces challenges, including policy disagreements and Nigeria's global partnerships.
Rick Swart, a veteran diplomat appointed by President Trump to further the US interests in the West African country, officially assumed duty on July 16, taking over from JoEllen Gorg, who served in an interim capacity following the departure of former Consul General Will Stevens in November 2024.
In his first official announcement, made in Lagos on Friday, Swart expressed his enthusiasm for his new role,"I am honored to serve in Nigeria. I am excited about the opportunity to travel across the region, meet the people, and experience the culture, while advancing our shared goals of making our two countries safer, stronger, and more prosperous through mutual understanding and cooperation."
The new Consul General also acknowledged the efforts of his predecessor, JoEllen Gorg, saying "I thank JoEllen for her remarkable leadership and outstanding work in promoting our close partnership with the Nigerian people in the region, which has laid a solid foundation for our continued collaboration."
He further emphasized his commitment to collaboration, stating, " I look forward to working closely with Ambassador Mills and the team at the U.S. Embassy in Abuja to further advance our shared objectives between Nigeria and the United States, particularly in areas of economic development, security, and cultural exchange."
Consul brings deep field experience
A career member of the U.S. Foreign Service, Swart brings over two decades of experience to his new role. He previously served as Deputy Chief of Mission in Chad and held diplomatic posts in Congo, Burundi, Iraq, Geneva, London, Manila, and Dubai.
As Consul General, Swart will lead diplomatic efforts to expand trade and investment ties, promote mutual prosperity, and strengthen people-to-people connections between the United States and Nigeria.
He will work closely with the U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, David Greene Mills, and the team in the U.S. Embassy in Abuja to further shared objectives.
The US-Nigeria relationship is under strain due to President Trump's immigration policies and Nigeria's growing ties with BRICS nations. However, the appointment of Rick Swart as Consul General could mark a turning point, signaling a new direction for bilateral relations.
The ongoing construction of a $537 million US Consulate General in Lagos reinforces this potential shift, symbolizing the enduring partnership between the two countries.
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Opinion: We tried the 'Third Option' in trade. It didn't work
By Peter Shawn Taylor The back-and-forth trade relations between the U.S. and Canada since the two countries' first trade treaty in the mid-1850s — alternating between protectionism and openness depending on the political mood — provides a rich historical record with many valuable lessons for today. And perhaps the best advice on how Canada should respond to the chaos of Donald Trump's current tariff shocks can be found in what historians today call the 'Nixon Shocks.' In his first term in office (1969-73), U.S. president Richard Nixon was dogged by a new economic malaise termed 'stagflation' — stagnant economic growth combined with high inflation — arising from the U.S. government's enormous spending on the Vietnam War and numerous misguided domestic policies. In response to this erosion in America's financial might, in 1971 Nixon up-ended the global economic status quo with his New Economic Policy, which included suspending (and two years later ending) the convertibility of the U.S. dollar into gold, dismantling the Bretton Woods fixed-exchange rate system, instituting wage and price controls and imposing a 10 per cent tariff on all imports. To Canada's shock and horror, it, too, was subjected to Nixon's tariffs. During the postwar period Canada and the U.S. had once again been slowly embracing freer trade; the 1965 Auto Pact, for example, allowed automobiles and automotive parts to flow across the border duty-free and is often considered a precursor to later free trade deals. Nixon's move thus constituted a serious break in Canada's improved access to the U.S. market. Prime minister Pierre Trudeau argued vigorously for an exemption but, like Sir John A. 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As McKercher explains, the Third Option involved more than just a shift away from the U.S. in terms of commerce. In addition to seeking out other countries to serve as trade counterweights to the mighty U.S. economy, 'Trudeau also sought to expand political and cultural relations with many other countries, including Communist countries in Eastern Europe and elsewhere … (with) a big emphasis on China, Cuba and the Soviet Union.' At home, the Third Option gave birth to many aggressive protectionist policies aimed at keeping the Americans at bay, including the Foreign Investment Review Agency and the National Energy Program which over time helped foment western separatism. 'These were policies specifically meant to discourage foreign investment in Canada,' explains McKercher, describing them as 'self-inflicted harms.' Trudeau's insular push signalled another of Canada's periodic eruptions of economic nationalism and anti-Americanism, with the hard-left NDP frequently egging him on. 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3 Oil Service Stocks to Ride Out the Global Energy Storm: Piper Sandler
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These comments back up the analyst's Overweight (i.e., Buy) rating, while his $72 price target suggests that the stock will see a gain of 41% heading into next year. There are 8 recent analyst reviews on record for this stock, and their breakdown of 6 Buys to 2 Holds gives the stock its Strong Buy consensus rating. The shares are currently priced at $51.15, and their $68.26 average price target points toward a one-year upside potential of 33.5%. (See PDS stock forecast) To find good ideas for stocks trading at attractive valuations, visit TipRanks' Best Stocks to Buy, a tool that unites all of TipRanks' equity insights. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the featured analyst. The content is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is very important to do your own analysis before making any investment. Disclaimer & DisclosureReport an Issue Inicia sesión para acceder a tu cartera de valores
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Momentum Swinging Back to the US, Zavolock Says
Morgan Stanley Chief European Equity Strategist Marina Zavolock discusses stock markets moves says "the momentum has swung back to the US" as the region has "much more AI exposure" than Europe. She speaks on Bloomberg Television.
