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Former Ambassador To Peru To Speak At Duke

Brian Nichols to talk about foreign policy in a free, public talk March 27

Brian A. Nichols, former ambassador to Peru, will speak at Duke University on Tuesday, March 27.

The talk, “For Reasons Which Are Not Immediately Clear: Foreign Policy in a Time of Uncertainty,” takes place at 5 p.m. in the Nasher Museum of Art Auditorium and is free and open to the public. Parking is available at the Nasher.

As ambassador to Peru from 2014-2017, Nichols directed a comprehensive effort to combat transnational organized crime and pioneered strategies against illegal gold mining and illegal logging.

His various positions in the State Department have also included principal deputy assistant secretary of state for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (2011-2013), where he directed programs in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Europe and Asia; deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in Colombia; director of the Office of Caribbean Affairs; and counselor for political affairs at the American Embassy in Indonesia. He also served in Mexico and El Salvador during major democratic transitions. 

Nichols began his foreign service career in 1989 as a consular officer in Lima.

He is the recipient of the 2011 Presidential Meritorious Service Award, six Superior Honor Awards, and multiple other Department of State honors.

Nichols’ talk is the 2018 Anthony Joseph Drexel Biddle Jr. Lecture on International Studies and is hosted by the Duke University Center for International and Global Studies.