The United States President Joe Biden has nominated Lisa A. Johnson to serve as the next US Ambassador to the Lebanese Republic. The announcement was made on Monday in a White House statement.
Johnson, who is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, has over three decades of experience in the US diplomatic corps. She joined the Foreign Service in 1992 and has served at Embassies in Luanda, Pretoria, Beirut, and Islamabad.
She has also served in Brussels, where she was seconded to the Office of the Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
In Washington, Johnson has held various high-level positions, including Director of the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) Office of Africa and the Middle East, Senior Advisor for South and Central Asia in the Office of the Vice President, National Security Council Director for Middle East Affairs, Deputy Director in the Office of Canadian Affairs, and Israel Political-Military Officer in the Bureau of Near East Affairs.
Johnson has extensive experience in Africa, having served as US Ambassador to the Republic of Namibia from January 2018 until July 2021. Before that, she served as Charge d’Affaires in Nassau, The Bahamas, from 2014 to 2017. Her international experience also includes her role as Watch Officer in the Operations Center.
Johnson holds an A.B. degree in Political Science and Economics from Stanford University and a Master of International Affairs degree from Columbia University. She has also earned an M.S. degree in National Security Strategy from the National War College.
Johnson speaks French and Portuguese fluently.
The White House statement highlights Johnson’s diplomatic background and the breadth of her experience. The statement notes that she is highly regarded by her colleagues and has earned a reputation as a dedicated and effective diplomat.
The nomination of Johnson to serve as the US Ambassador to Lebanon comes at a crucial time for US-Lebanese relations.
The two countries have a long-standing relationship, and the US has been an important partner for Lebanon, providing political, economic, and military support.
With Johnson’s extensive experience and deep knowledge of the region, she is well-positioned to help strengthen the US-Lebanese relationship and advance US interests in the region.
