High Stakes Diplomacy: The use of special envoys in ending conflicts
Date & Time: October 23, 2015 | 10:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Location: Katz Auditorium
Princeton N. Lyman will speak about "High Stakes Diplomacy: The use of special envoys in ending conflicts" 3:00 p.m. on Friday, October 23 in the Sutliff Auditorium of the Lewis Katz Building on Penn State’s University Park campus. His talk is free and open to the public.
Retired U.S. Ambassador Lyman served as United States special envoy for Sudan and South Sudan from March 2011 to March 2013. As special envoy he led U.S. policy in helping in the implementation of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement. He previously held the position of Ralph Bunche Fellow for African Affairs at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR). He was also an adjunct professor at Georgetown University and at Johns Hopkins School for Advanced International Studies. From 1999 to 2003, he was executive director of the Global Interdependence Initiative at the Aspen Institute.
Lyman’s previous career in government included assignments as deputy assistant secretary of state for African affairs (1981-1986), U.S. ambassador to Nigeria (1986-1989), director of refugee programs (1989-1992), U.S. ambassador to South Africa (1992-1995), and assistant secretary of state for international organization affairs (1996-1998). From 2008-2010, he was a member of the African Advisory Committee to the United States Trade Representative. He began his government career with the U.S. Agency for International Development and served as USAID director in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 1976 to 1978.
He has a PhD in political science from Harvard University. He has published books and articles on foreign policy, African affairs, economic development, HIV/AIDS, U.N. reform, and peacekeeping. He has published op-eds in The Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Baltimore Sun, Miami Herald, Los Angeles Times, and International Herald Tribune. His book, "Partner to History: The U.S. Role in South Africa’s Transition to Democracy" (U.S. Institute of Peace Press), was published in 2002. He was co-director of the Council on Foreign Relations Task Force Report, "More Than Humanitarianism: A Strategic U.S. Approach Toward Africa", issued in 2006, and co-editor of "Beyond Humanitarianism: What You Need to Know About Africa and Why It Matters" (Council on Foreign Relations) published in 2007. Most recently he has published several articles on Sudan and South Sudan.