Eric Nelson
United States Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina
In office
February 19, 2019 – February 1, 2022
PresidentDonald Trump
Joe Biden
Preceded byMaureen Cormack
Succeeded byMichael J. Murphy
Personal details
Alma materRice University (BS)
University of Texas (MBA)

Eric George Nelson is an American diplomat who served as the United States Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina from 2019 to 2022.[1][2][3]

Education

Nelson received his Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering from Rice University and his Master of Business Administration from The University of Texas at Austin - Red McCombs School of Business.[4]

Career

Nelson began his career in as a Peace Corps volunteer in Liberia, West Africa. In 1990, he began working for the State Department. He has worked in seven United States missions overseas[5] including in the U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Consulate General of the United States, Munich and in the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City.[4]

He served as Deputy Chief of Mission of the U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica from August, 2010, through June, 2013 and then as Chargé d'Affaires until August of that year.[4]

Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina

On August 23, 2018, President Donald Trump announced his intent to nominate Nelson as United States Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina.[5] On January 2, 2019, the Senate confirmed him by voice vote.[6] On February 18, 2019, he presented his credentials to the Bosnian government.[7] Nelson was one of five openly gay ambassadors appointed under the Trump administration.[8] He left his post on February 1, 2022.[9]

Nelson called for a new Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina, stating that the current constitution is an obstacle for Bosnia to join the "Transatlantic community". He added, "There is a whole range of constitutional issues which need to be dealt with so the country can fulfill Transatlantic standards. Many of those issues are difficult to solve, but none of them is impossible."[10]

On April 1, 2021, Nelson met with Bosnian Presidency member Željko Komšić, with whom he spoke on the importance of a transparent and inclusive electoral reform process and Bosnia and Herzegovina's Reform Program as an opportunity to attract Ally support for reforms consistent with the country's EU path.[11] On December 7, 2021, Nelson met with Bosnian Minister of Defence Sifet Podžić and U.S. envoy Gabriel Escobar, to discuss the political situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the prospect of modernizing the country's Armed Forces.[12][13]

Personal life

Nelson speaks Spanish, German, and Italian.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Senate names new US Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina". Sarajevo Times. 4 January 2019. Retrieved 2 August 2019.
  2. ↑ "Chairman of BiH Presidency met with Newly elected Ambassador of the USA". Sarajevo Times. 20 February 2019. Retrieved 2 August 2019.
  3. ↑ "Ambassadorial Nomination: POST: Bosnia and Herzegovina". Department of State. 1 August 2019. Retrieved 1 August 2019.
  4. 1 2 3 "Eric Nelson". LinkedIn. 1 August 2019. Retrieved 1 August 2019.
  5. 1 2 "President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate Personnel to Key Administration Posts". whitehouse.gov. 23 August 2018. Retrieved 1 August 2019 – via National Archives.
  6. ↑ "PN2446 — Eric George Nelson — Department of State". United States Congress. 1 January 2019. Retrieved 1 August 2019.
  7. ↑ "BiH MFA – Newly appointed U.S. Ambassador Nelson hands credentials". 18 February 2019. Retrieved 1 August 2019.
  8. ↑ Johnson, Chris (21 December 2019). "Senate confirms fifth openly gay ambassador under Trump". Washington Blade: Gay News, Politics, LGBT Rights. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
  9. ↑ @USEmbassySJJ (1 February 2022). "It was my great honor to serve as [Flag of United States] AMB to [Flag of Bosnia & Herzegovina] over the last 3 years. As I depart today, I share this message with the citizens of Flag of Bosnia & Herzegovina. Thank you for making me and Filippo feel so welcome throughout my mandate. I look forward to returning as a visitor and a friend. Hvala od srca!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  10. ↑ "Dayton 2.0: Deal that Ended Bosnian War Needs Rewriting, But How?". Balkan Insight. 2 November 2020. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
  11. ↑ G.M. (1 April 2021). "Nelson razgovarao s Komšićem: Svi se trebaju suzdržati od špekulativnih izjava" (in Bosnian). Klix.ba. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  12. ↑ "BiH Minister of Defense meets with US Special Envoy for the WB". Sarajevo Times.
  13. ↑ "Tegeltija and Escobar discuss the current Political Situation in BiH". Sarajevo Times.
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