Ambassador Paul Jones began his assignment as the Chargé d’Affaires a.i. at the United States Embassy today. Ambassador Jones will lead the United States Mission in Pakistan in its ongoing efforts to deepen the connections between the Pakistani and American people, and work with the new government of Pakistan towards a more stable, secure, and prosperous future for Pakistan. Ambassador Jones brings a wealth of experience and diplomatic expertise to this shared effort and to the U.S. Mission in Pakistan. Ambassador Jones on his arrival in Pakistan said, “I’m thrilled to be back in Pakistan. I look forward to reacquainting myself with the country’s warm and welcoming people, beautiful landscapes, and delicious food.”
Ambassador Paul Jones is a career member of the State Department’s Senior Foreign Service. He served as Ambassador to Poland from 2015 to 2018. Previously, he was the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs (2013-2015), Ambassador to Malaysia (2010-2013), and Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan while concurrently Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs (2009-2010). He has served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Manila, the U.S. Mission to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and at the U.S. Embassy in Skopje, Macedonia.
Ambassador Jones’s awards include the Presidential Meritorious Service Award, the Robert C. Frasure Memorial Award for peacebuilding, and several Superior Honor Awards. He speaks Spanish, Russian, and some Polish. He is a graduate of Cornell University and received Master’s degrees from the University of Virginia and the Naval War College. He is married to Catherine Jones, an award-winning author and freelance writer. They have two children, Aleksandra and Hale.