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February 21, 2008
Ambassador Houdek to Speak at Texas Tech
Robert G. Houdek to discuss African affairs in honor of Black History Month.
Written by Sarah Whetstone
In honor of Black History Month, the Office of International Affairs is hosting Ambassador Robert G. Houdek to speak on campus. Houdek, who specializes in African affairs, will present a discussion entitled “Out of Africa …The Threat of Terrorism” at 6 p.m. Wednesday Feb. 27 in the Human Science lecture hall, room 169. The event is free and open to the public.
Houdek’s long and distinguished foreign service career includes more than 25 years focused on and in Africa. He served as a negotiator with an AID Disaster Assistance Response Team during the Rwandan genocide with the National Intelligence Council from 1997 until his retirement in 2007. Houdek also was an advisor for rebuilding African intelligence capability and for the Greater Horn of Africa Initiative under president Clinton.
Prior to that, Houdek served as Ambassador to Eritrea (1993-96), Ethiopia (1988-91) and Uganda (1985-88). He served in Kenya prior to becoming Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs (1991-93). In addition to serving as Special Advisor to National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger (1969-71), Houdek was awarded the President’s Exceptional Service Medal for his role in evacuating Ethiopian Jews to Israel in 1991. A recipient of several Presidential Service and State Department Superior Honor Awards, Houdek is currently working as a lecturer, commentator and consultant on African affairs.
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