Mumbai 8th August : Mike Hankey, who has had a number of key assignments in the Middle East and Africa, was appointed the consul general for the US of the US in Mumbai the city of Mumbai, an official said on Monday.An ex-journalist, Hankey — who is proficient in Tamil, Arabic and French succeeds the Consul General David J.Ranz.
Before moving to Mumbai, he was the Chief Deputy of US Mission in Amman and was the head of the Palestinian Affairs Unit at the US Embassy in Jerusalem from the time of its establishment in early 2019 and was the head of the US involvement with the Palestinians.
A professional diplomat from 2001, he was previously the deputy of the Director of US Mission in Jerusalem and the US Consul General in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, where he was the head of an inter-agency team that promoted security and commercial connections in the middle of the Saudi oil industry.
The past assignments of Hankey include assignments in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iraq, Yemen, and Nigeria.
“I am honored to represent the United States of America in Western India at a time when the relationship between the US and India has never been stronger.In the 75th anniversary celebrations of diplomatic relations and friendship, we will continue to work together to create a more prosperous, free and secure world.
Our common dedication to democracy, economic partnerships and people-to-people connections is the basis that will ensure greater cooperation in the coming years,” said Hankey.
After joining the Foreign Service in 2001, Hankey directed teams to establish strong and productive connections with economic, political as well as media partners throughout the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia.
In Egypt prior to and after the Arab Spring, he advanced engagement with both Muslim and Christian communities.
In previous visits, he promoted economic development in northwestern Iraq, American consular and commercial interests in Yemen and the professionalism of media in Nigeria.
In Washington, he led worldwide media outreach to encourage global security disarmament, peace, and economic prosperity, as and the team worked to advance American involvement with South Asia audiences.
Able in Arabic, French, and Tamil.
Hankey earned his Bachelor’s Degree in international relations and journalism from George Washington University, with an emphasis on South Asian studies, and his Master’s Degree in second language education from Indiana University.
Prior to joining the Foreign Service, he worked as a journalist for a newspaper as well as an editor of international affairs for a news agency that covered the United Nations, and in the support of the US public affairs outreach of the government concerning Arab-Israeli as well as South Asian issues.
He is the author of a book to help students learn Nigerian Pidgin English.He will be joined in Mumbai by his wife, and two sons.
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