Jessica Davis Ba- Ivory Coast
MARCH 2, 2023
AMBASSADOR JESSICA DAVIS BA
Jessica Davis Ba is a Senior Foreign Service Officer and the Ambassador to the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire. She was nominated by President Biden on June 8, 2022 and confirmed by the Senate on December 15, 2022. Prior to her nomination, Jessica was the Senior Coordinator for National Security Affairs and Special Advisor for Africa in the Office of Vice President Kamala Harris. During her tenure, she helped stand up the Vice President’s national security team and shape the Administration’s strategy toward Africa.
Jessica Davis Ba led the U.S. Embassy in N’Djamena, Chad as Chargé d’Affaires, a.i. and Deputy Chief of Mission where she partnered with the government and people of Chad to navigate the pandemic during periods of crisis and insecurity. Jessica served in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, as Deputy Chief of Mission to the U.S. Mission to the African Union and as the U.S. Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Economic Commission for Africa. With the 55 members of the African Union, Jessica advanced American interest through multilateral engagement and new initiatives to support peace, justice, and opportunity. In Nairobi, Jessica Davis Ba played a pivotal role in Kenya’s establishment of a Financial Intelligence Unit to combat money laundering and terrorism finance. In the Somalia Affairs Unit, she encouraged diverse participation in the Djibouti Peace Process. As the Political/Economic Section Chief in Conakry, she supported the people of Guinea in their quest for democratic governance.
In the Middle East, Jessica served in Baghdad, Iraq, as Deputy Director of the International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Section before joining US embassy Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as Deputy Program Director managing a $1 billion portfolio for critical infrastructure protection. Her first overseas assignment was in Lagos, Nigeria.
Jessica served in Washington in various capacities in the Bureau of African Affairs. She also worked in the Secretary’s Office of Crisis Management Support where she implemented systemic improvements for worldwide emergency planning. Jessica is the recipient of numerous Superior Honor Awards, the One Team Award, and for her leadership, was selected by the Secretary as a Colin Powell Fellow.
Before joining the Foreign Service, Jessica taught at Georgetown University. She holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Pennsylvania and completed doctoral research at the Annenberg School for Communication on technology, globalization, and development in Africa. Jessica is married to Amadou Mahtar Ba and they are the proud parents of five sons.