Peshawar, Sept 4 (DNA): Senior Foreign Service Officer Tom Eckert has assumed responsibility as the Consul General at the United States Consulate General in Peshawar.

“It is my pleasure to welcome Tom Eckert as our new Consul General in Peshawar,” said U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Natalie Baker.  “Tom joins a long line of distinguished diplomats who have represented the United States in Peshawar.  He is the right person to maintain our history of diplomatic engagement that dates back to Pakistan’s independence, and to build new relationships with the government and people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa; relationships that make us all stronger, safer, and more prosperous.”

Consul General Tom Eckert said, “I have heard so much about the culture, heritage, and famous hospitality of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.  I am eager to strengthen our vital partnerships to promote economic opportunities and to work together toward a brighter and more peaceful future.”

Consul General Eckert joined the Department of State in 2003, and most recently served as the Senior Regional Security Officer and Chargé d’Affaires in Cyprus.  He has also served in Gabon, Vietnam, Burma, Iraq, and Afghanistan.  Originally from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Tom is married and holds a B.A. in Political Science from Kutztown University.