Princeton Lyman

Princeton Lyman
20th United 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 to South 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 to Nigeria
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
6th Director 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 former United States Ambassador to Nigeria (1986–89) and South Africa (1992–95), and former Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs (1996–98^[2]).^[3] He was a member of the American Academy of Diplomacy and the Aspen Institute, and was Adjunct Senior Fellow for Africa Policy Studies with the Council on Foreign Relations.^[4]

Lyman had a bachelor's degree from the University of California, Berkeley and a Ph.D. from Harvard University.^[5]

Lyman played a crucial role in the negotiation and signing of the 1994 Accord on Afrikaner self-determination in South Africa. As the U.S. Ambassador, he skillfully mediated between General Constand Viljoen, representing Afrikaner interests, and the African 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 from apartheid, 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 the apartheid 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 to Princeton Lyman at Wikimedia Commons

• Appearances on C-SPAN