Wyclef Named Haitian Ambassador

It was bound to happen; Wyclef Jean has been named by Haitian President Rene Preval as a roving Ambassador. Jean's job will be to help promote a positive image of the country abroad.

Here's the BBC article on the announcement:

Wyclef becomes Haiti 'ambassador'

Wyclef Jean travelled to Haiti last month to give a free concert

Rap star Wyclef Jean has been made a roving ambassador for Haiti to improve its image abroad.

He was appointed to the role by Haitian President Rene Preval as "our best asset to promote the country's image around the world".

Jean was born in Haiti but moved with his family to Brooklyn, New York, when he was nine years old.

He already runs his own foundation, Yele Haiti, to aid what is the poorest country in the Americas.

"We wish we could have several Wyclefs because the country could have gained so much," Foreign Affairs Minister Renald Clerisme told Reuters.

Mr Preval has been joined by Jean on a three-day visit to the island of Jamaica.

Jean, 34, gained fame as a member of the hip hop trio The Fugees, who won Grammys in 1996 for their album The Score and single Killing Me Softly.

This year he has been nominated for a best pop collaboration Grammy for his performance with Shakira on the hit Hips Don't Lie.

Haiti's government credits Jean with successfully lobbying the US Congress for a "passage of a trade" bill expected to help create textile manufacturing jobs in Haiti.