The Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD) is pleased to announce that Karl Eikenberry, the former U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan and retired U.S. Army Lieutenant General, has agreed to join the Foundation Board.

Ambassador Eikenberry was Director of the U.S.-Asia Security Initiative at the Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center at Stanford University. He was also an affiliate at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Relations Center for Democracy, Development, and Rule of Law, Center for International Security Cooperation and The Europe Center.

He was the U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan from 2009-2011, where he led the civilian surge directed by President Obama to set the conditions for transition to full Afghan sovereignty.

His 35-year military career included senior command and political-military postings in Afghanistan, Europe, the People’s Republic of China, Korea, Hawaii, and the continental United States.

Eikenberry graduated from the United States Academy at West Point, and received a Master’s degree in East Asian Studies from Harvard and a Master’s degree in Political Science from Stanford.

He earned the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s Interpreter’s Certificate for Mandarin Chinese from the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence Chinese Language School in Hong Kong and has an advanced degree in Chinese History from Nanjing University.

Eikenberry currently serves as a trustee for American Councils on International Education, the National Committee on American Foreign Policy, and the Asia Society of Northern California. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Council of American Ambassadors.

His awards include the Department of State Distinguished Service Award, Department of Defense Distinguished Service Medal, and the George F. Kennan Award for Distinguished Public Service.

“We are very pleased to welcome Ambassador Eikenberry on HD’s Foundation Board,” said David Harland, HD’s Executive Director. “His expertise in Asia and international affairs will contribute greatly to HD mission as the organisation develops its operations in the future.”