JUST IN: Biden nominates new US ambassador to Nigeria

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

He replaces Mary Beth Leonard who was appointed the envoy to Nigeria by President Donald Trump on June 24, 2019.

A statement published on the White House website said Mills 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.

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

The new nominee for the position of US Ambassador to Nigeria 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.

Prior to joining the Foreign Service, Mills was an Associate Attorney with the firm of Duncan, Allen and Mitchell in Washington, D.C.

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.

He is the recipient of multiple State Department awards and speaks French and Russian.