Herman J. Cohen

Herman J. Cohen is an American diplomat, author, and professor who specialized in African affairs during a long career with the United States Department of State. He served as the United States Ambassador to Senegal and the Gambia before becoming the Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs under Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush. In this senior role, he was a key architect of U.S. policy during pivotal events like the Angolan Civil War, the Ethiopian Civil War, and the transition from apartheid in South Africa.

Early life and education

He was born in 1932 in New York City. He pursued his higher education in the city, earning a bachelor's degree from the City College of New York. He later obtained a master's degree in Public Administration from New York University, which provided a foundation for his future career in international relations and government service.

Diplomatic career

He joined the United States Foreign Service in 1955. His early postings included assignments in Zaire (then the Belgian Congo), Cameroon, and Uganda, where he developed deep regional expertise. He rose through the ranks, serving on the National Security Council staff during the Nixon administration and as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs in the late 1970s. In 1977, President Jimmy Carter appointed him as the United States Ambassador to Senegal and concurrently as the Ambassador to the Gambia, roles he held until 1980. His most prominent appointment came in 1989 when Secretary of State James Baker named him Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs. In this capacity, he was instrumental in diplomatic efforts surrounding the Namibian War of Independence, negotiations for the Bicesse Accords in Angola, and supporting the National Peace Accord in South Africa. He also managed complex U.S. responses to crises in Liberia, Somalia, and the Horn of Africa.

Post-diplomatic work and writings

Following his retirement from the State Department in 1993, he remained a prominent commentator on African policy. He founded the consulting firm Cohen and Woods and served as a senior advisor to the Global Coalition for Africa. He has held academic positions as an adjunct professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University. He is the author of several books, including Intervening in Africa: Superpower Peacemaking in a Troubled Continent and The Mind of the African Strongman: Conversations with Dictators, Statesmen, and Father Figures, which draw upon his firsthand diplomatic experiences. He frequently contributes analysis to media outlets like the BBC and CNN.

Personal life

He is married to Beverly A. J. Cohen. Details regarding his family life are kept private. He has been based in the Washington, D.C. area since the conclusion of his ambassadorial service, from where he continues his writing and advisory work.

Awards and honors

For his distinguished government service, he has received the President's Award for Distinguished Federal Civilian Service and the Department of State's Superior Honor Award. His contributions to diplomacy have also been recognized by several foreign governments.

Category:1932 births Category:American diplomats Category:United States ambassadors to Senegal Category:United States ambassadors to the Gambia Category:Assistant Secretaries of State for African Affairs Category:City College of New York alumni Category:New York University alumni Category:Living people