Nomination of Edward Joseph Perkins To Be United States Representative to the United Nations

The President today announced his intention to nominate Edward Joseph Perkins, of the District of Columbia, to be the Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations, with the rank and status of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, and the Representative of the United States of America in the Security Council of the United Nations. He would succeed Thomas R. Pickering.

Since 1989 Mr. Perkins has served as Director General of the Foreign Service and Director of Personnel at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, DC. Prior to this, Mr. Perkins served as U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of South Africa, 1986 - 1989; U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Liberia, 1985 - 1986; and Director of the Office of West African Affairs in the Bureau of African Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, 1983 - 1985. From 1981 to 1983, Mr. Perkins served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Monrovia, Liberia. In addition, he served as Counselor for Political Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Accra, Ghana, 1978 - 1981.

Mr. Perkins graduated from the University of Maryland (B.A., 1967) and the University of Southern California (M.P.A., 1972; D.P.A., 1978). He was born June 8, 1928, in Sterlington, LA. Mr. Perkins served in the U.S. Army and the U.S. Marine Corps. He is married, has two children, and resides in Washington, DC.