Tibor Nagy served as Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs from 2018-2021. In addition to leading the US Government’s efforts to deal with Africa’s myriad systemic challenges, Ambassador Nagy prioritized increasing trade and investment between the US and Africa, and implementing “deal teams” in every US Embassy to support this effort. He also focused on urging African governments to create the types of business and governance environments that would attract outside investment to create jobs for Africa’s emerging “Youth Tsunami.”
From 2003 to 2018 Ambassador Nagy was Vice Provost for International Affairs at Texas Tech University where his efforts resulted in large increases in international students, study abroad programs, and international partnerships. He also lectured nationally on Africa, foreign policy, international development, and US diplomacy – and advised two Presidential campaigns, serving as Gov. Romney’s Africa policy group co-chair in 2012 and on Presidential candidate Obama’s Africa group in 2008.
He was the US Ambassador to Ethiopia from 1999-2002, a period which included the Ethio-Eritrean War and a robust anti-terrorism campaign. Previously he was Ambassador to Guinea after serving as Deputy Ambassador in Nigeria, Cameroon, and Togo. He also had assignments in Zambia, the Seychelles, Washington DC, and an earlier tour in Ethiopia.
Ambassador Nagy arrived in the US as a political refugee from Hungary and received his B.A. from Texas Tech University and M.S.A. from George Washington University. His U.S. State Department awards include commendations for helping prevent famine in Ethiopia; supporting the evacuation of Americans from Sierra Leone during combat; supporting efforts to end the Ethio-Eritrean War, and managing the US Embassy in Lagos, Nigeria during political and economic crises. He was knighted by the President of Guinea in 1999.
Ambassador Nagy has contributed periodic op-ed pieces and co-authored the nonfiction winner of the 2014 Paris Book Festival on managing in difficult international environments, “Kiss Your Latte Goodbye.”