Biden Nominates New US Envoy To Nigeria As Amb. Leonard Bows Out

President Joe Biden has nominated Richard Mills Jr. as the US Ambassador to Nigeria.

Mills is to replace Mary Beth Leonard, the outgoing US envoy to the country, who was appointed by President Donald Trump on June 24, 2019.

This was contained in a statement published on the White House website on Monday, noting that Richard Mills, Jr had served in key diplomacy roles for the US.

He currently serves as the US Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations and a career member of the Senior Foreign Service with the rank of Minister-Counselor.

Mills served as the US Ambassador to Armenia, prior to his nomination. He was also Deputy Chief of Mission and then Chargé d’Affaires at the US Mission to Canada.

He has also served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the US Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon and as Deputy Chief of Mission and Chargé d’Affaires ad interim at the US Embassy Valetta, Malta.

Other assignments include Senior Democracy Advisor at US Embassy Baghdad, Political Counselor at US Embassy London, and Political Officer at the US Mission to the United Nations.

Mills who is the recipient of multiple State Department awards and speaks French and Russian, was an Associate Attorney with the firm of Duncan, Allen and Mitchell in Washington, D.C, prior to joining the Foreign Service.

A native of Louisiana, Mills earned a Bachelor of Arts in Foreign Service from Georgetown University, a Juris Doctor from the University of Texas School of Law and a Master’s in National Security Policy from the National Defense University.