US Ambassador to Lebanon, Lisa Anne Johnson. (Photo released by US Embassy in Beirut)
BEIRUT — The US Embassy in Beirut announced on Thursday, through a statement, the arrival of Ambassador Lisa A. Johnson to Lebanon.
Johnson, succeeding Dorothy Shea, previously served as the US Ambassador to Namibia from 2018 to 2021 and held leadership positions in the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs at the US State Department in Washington.
Johnson said that “it is an honor and a pleasure to return to Lebanon, where I served previously from 2002 to 2004, to lead the US Embassy in Beirut. This is a difficult time, and I appreciate the significance of the challenges Lebanon faces. At the same time, I have a deep admiration for the vibrancy of the Lebanese people and confidence in Lebanon’s ability to succeed. Now more than ever, it is time for Lebanon to find a sense of unity and purpose in the common desire of all its people for peace, prosperity, and a brighter future.”
The US Senate confirmed Lisa Johnson's appointment as the head of the US Embassy in Lebanon on Dec. 14, 2023. President Joe Biden nominated her as ambassador in February, 2023. During her confirmation hearing in May, 2023, the diplomat demonstrated firmness regarding Hezbollah and Syria. During her time in Lebanon in the early 2000s, Johnson said she "gained deep admiration for the vitality of the Lebanese people and a serious awareness of the challenges they face, including endemic corruption, poor governance, and the threat posed by Hezbollah to the sovereignty and security of their country."
In the absence of a president of the republic, Johnson will initially serve as Chargé d'Affaires at the embassy until she can present her credentials to the next head of state.
Lisa Anne Johnson, born in Iowa in 1967, holds a bachelor's degree in political science and economics from Stanford University, a master's in international affairs from Columbia University, and a master's in national security strategy from the National War College.
Before assuming her current position, Ambassador Johnson served as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) and as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of INL for Europe and Asia. She has also held various roles, including Director of Middle East Affairs at the National Security Council (NSC) in Washington, D.C., and Director of the INL Office for Africa and the Middle East.