Harold Forsyth became Ambassador of Peru to the United States on August 29, 2011.
Before arriving in Washington, Forsyth was Ambassador of Peru to China (2009-2011). Previous to that post he served as Ambassador of Peru to San Marino and Turkey, Italy, and Colombia. He also served as Consultant of the General Secretariat of the Andean Community of Nations, and was Permanent Representative of Peru to the Food and Agriculture Organization, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, and the World Food Program.
During the last decade he has also been Vice Minister Secretary General of Foreign Affairs of Peru and Advisor to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Peru.
Forsyth was a congressman in Peru from 1995 to 2000. During this time he served on the congressional committee on defense, internal control and intelligence, and the committee on foreign affairs.
Earlier in his career he served as Third Secretary of the Embassy of Peru in Chile; Second Secretary and Charge d’ Affairs of Peru to Bulgaria; Second Secretary at the Embassy of Peru in Venezuela; Chief of Cabinet of the Permanent Secretary of the Latin-American Economic System (SELA); First Secretary, Chief of Evaluation and Control of the Diplomatic Academy of Peru; Under Director of Latin-American Cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Peru; Counselor at the Embassy of Peru in Canada; and Minister- Counselor of the Embassy of Peru in Germany.
Forsyth has also been an international elections observer in Colombia, Mexico, Guatemala, and Nicaragua.
He studied journalism at Pontifical Catholic University of Peru and international relations and diplomacy at the Diplomatic Academy of Peru, and went on to author the book “Conversation with Javier Pérez de Cuéllar” (2001). He has directed a radio program, two television shows, and a newspaper, and has received a dozen decorations for his diplomatic work.
Forsyth was born in Lima, Peru in 1951, is married to María Verónica Sommer Mayer, and has three children.