By Omar Elnagar
Herro Mustafa Garg, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service with the rank of Minister-Counselor, was confirmed by the U.S. Senate to be Ambassador to the Arab Republic of Egypt in November 2023. She served as the U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Bulgaria from 2019-2023.
Previously, Ambassador Mustafa Garg was the Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Lisbon, Portugal and Political Minister Counselor at the U.S. Embassy New Delhi, India. Earlier, Mustafa worked in the Office of the Vice President on issues related to the Middle East and South and Central Asia. Other Washington assignments include Deputy Director of the Afghanistan Office; Advisor on the Middle East in the Office of the Under Secretary for Political Affairs; Director for Iran, Israeli-Palestinian Affairs, and Jordan at the National Security Council; and National Security Council Director for Iraq and Afghanistan.
Her overseas postings include lead U.S. Civilian Coordinator in Mosul, Iraq; Consular Officer in Beirut, Lebanon; and Political Officer in Athens, Greece.
She is the recipient of the 2023 Presidential Rank Award, three Senior Foreign Service Performance Awards, multiple Superior Honor Awards and the Matilda W. Sinclaire Award for superior achievement in a foreign language.
Ambassador Mustafa Garg grew up in North Dakota. Her family story is the subject of the documentary film American Herro and in 2021 she was honored by the Carnegie Corporation as one of the Great Immigrants of America. She has a Bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and a Master’s degree from Princeton University. She is married with two children.
