Princeton Lyman | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 20thUnited States Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs | |
| In office March 19, 1997 – October 22, 1998 | |
| President | Bill Clinton |
| Preceded by | Douglas J. Bennet |
| Succeeded by | David Welch |
| United States Ambassador toSouth Africa | |
| In office July 14, 1992 – December 14, 1995 | |
| President | George H. W. Bush Bill Clinton |
| Preceded by | William Lacy Swing |
| Succeeded by | James A. Joseph |
| United States Ambassador toNigeria | |
| In office September 12, 1986 – July 24, 1989 | |
| President | Ronald Reagan George H. W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Thomas W. M. Smith |
| Succeeded by | Lannon Walker |
| 6thDirector of the Bureau of Refugee Programs | |
| In office September 5, 1989 – June 15, 1992 | |
| Preceded by | Jonathan Moore |
| Succeeded by | Warren Zimmermann |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1935-11-20)November 20, 1935 San Francisco, California,U.S. |
| Died | August 24, 2018(2018-08-24) (aged 82) Silver Spring, Maryland,U.S. |
Princeton Nathan Lyman (November 20, 1935 – August 24, 2018)[1] was a diplomat and formerUnited States Ambassador toNigeria (1986–89) andSouth Africa (1992–95), and formerAssistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs (1996–98[2]).[3] He was a member of theAmerican Academy of Diplomacy and theAspen Institute, and was Adjunct Senior Fellow for Africa Policy Studies with theCouncil on Foreign Relations.[4]
Lyman had a bachelor's degree from theUniversity of California, Berkeley and a Ph.D. fromHarvard University.[5]
Lyman played a crucial role in the negotiation and signing of the 1994Accord on Afrikaner self-determination inSouth Africa. As the U.S. Ambassador, he skillfully mediated betweenGeneral Constand Viljoen, representingAfrikaner interests, and theAfrican National Congress (ANC). Lyman's deep understanding of South Africa's complex political landscape and his respect for Afrikaner concerns helped prevent potential conflict during the transition fromapartheid, ultimately facilitating the peaceful inclusion of Afrikaners in the new South African democracy.[6]
In January, 2010, Lyman weighed in in opposition to using the U.S.Alien Tort Statute in federal court to gain reparations for South African workers, from corporations who operated in South Africa during theapartheid era.[7]
In January, 2011, Lyman, who acted for the US government in mediation talks between the north and south of Sudan, was in Sudan for the independence referendum of Southern Sudan.[8][9]
Media related toPrinceton Lyman at Wikimedia Commons
| Diplomatic posts | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | United States Ambassador to Nigeria 1986–1989 | Succeeded by |
| Government offices | ||
| Preceded by | Director of the Bureau of Refugee Programs September 5, 1989 – June 15, 1992 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs March 19, 1997 – October 22, 1998 | Succeeded by |
