(VOVworld) - President Obama on Tuesday nominated Jeffrey DeLaurentis as the first US ambassador to Cuba in more than 55 years.

US President Barack Obama and his wife and US ambassador to Cuba Jeffrey DeLaurentis at a meeting on March 20 (Photo: Reuters)

Mr. DeLaurentis is already the US’s chief diplomat in Havana, a job he has held since 2014. At a ceremony to announce the decision, President Obama said that in the past year, Mr. DeLaurentis has cooperated with Cuba on a number of issues such as law enforcement,  environmental protection, the fight against drugs and human trafficking, and expanding cooperation in trade, agriculture, science, and healthcare.