Khamvone PHANOUVONG
Ambassador of the Lao People's Democratic Republic

Ambassador Khamvone PHANOUVONG, born in the Province of Xieng Khouang, Laos, studied from 1981 to 1986 at the Institute for International Relations in Potsdam-Babelsberg (GDR). His first foreign posting took him to the Laotian embassy in Bonn (1991-1994). Thereafter he held various positions in the press department of the Foreign Ministry. Later among other posts he also served as Deputy Head of his country’s Mission in Beijing (2002-2006) and Tokyo (from 2010 onwards).

Alberto Correia NETO
Ambassador of the Republic of Angola

Ambassador Alberto Correia NETO was born on 8th July 1949. During his medical studies in Luanda he joined the people’s movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA). In 1970 he was arrested by the Portuguese police and deported to a concentration camp. In 1985 was elected to the MPLA politburo. He was the military attaché to the USA, Ambassador to Brazil and lastly to Slovakia. In 2006 he was promoted to Army General.

Aden Mohamed DILEITA
Ambassador of the Republic of  Djibouti

Ambassador Aden Mohamed DILEITA, born on 16th February 1962, studied at the Institute for International Studies in Paris and earned his PhD in 1987 after graduating as a consultant for International Relations. He was the project manager for UNICEF (1989-1999), director of the Peltier Hospital in Djibouti and 1st Counsellor at the Embassy of the Republic of Djibouti in the Indian Ocean (2005-2011). He speaks French, English, Arabic, Afar, the Somali language and Amharic.

Amadeu Paulo Samuel da CONCEICAO
Ambassador of the Republic of Mozambique

Ambassador Amadeu Paulo Samuel da CONCEICAO, born on 8th May 1960, completed his studies at the Higher Institute of International Relations in Maputo and training at the Academy of Law and Political Science of the GDR in Potsdam (1988-1989). He was the chargé d’Affaires in Bonn (1990-1991), and Ambassador to Italy, Brazil and Cuba. From 1999 to 2002 he served as Chief of Protocol. He speaks French, English, Spanish, Italian and German.

Abdu Usman ABUBAKAR
Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Nigeria

Ambassador Abdu Usman ABUBAKAR, born on 14th August 1954, after graduation first worked as a teacher before joining the Foreign Service. During his postings abroad he was sent to the Permanent Mission of Nigeria to the UN in Geneva and the embassies of his country in Buenos Aires and Pretoria. From 2007 to 2011, prior to his appointment as Ambassador to Berlin, he was Chief of Protocol and interpreter to the President. He speaks English and French.

Ebrahim Mahmood Ahmed ABDULLA
Ambassador of the Kingdom of Bahrain

Ambassador Abrahim Mahmood Ahmed ABDULLA, born on 22nd February 1963, studied linguistics and translation sciences as well as librarianship. He was Director of Admissions of the University of Bahrain and librarian at the Arabian Gulf University. In 2001 he became counsellor of embassy and was Head of administration in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Since 2009 he held the post of Envoy at the Embassy of the Kingdom of Bahrain in Belgium. He speaks Arabic and English.

Dr. Ibrahima Sory SOW
Ambassador of the Republic of Guinea

Ambassador Dr. Ibrahima Sory SOW, born on 13th March 1943, studied from 1969 to 1977 history, sociology and political science in Leipzig (with a Ph.D.). In 1979 he moved to the German Institute for Development (Deutsche Institut für Entwicklungspolitik - DIE) in West Berlin and became a member of the Institute for African studies in Hamburg. He was a member of the National Assembly (1995-2002) and Minister of Health (2010). He speaks French, German and English.

Juan Mayr MALDONADO
Ambassador of the Republic of Colombia

Ambassador Juan Mayr MALDONADO, born on 27th May 1952, began his career as the Managing Director and senior editor of the publishing house Mayr & Cabal Ltd. Since the 1980s he has worked in various capacities for environmental organizations and green projects. From 1998 to 2002 he was Columbia’s Minister for Environment. Thereafter he acted as a consultant to the United Nations and to private companies on environmental issues. He speaks Spanish, English and German.

Ri Si Hong
Ambassador of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea

Ambassador Ri Si Hong, born on the 6th of August 1958, worked at the Foreign Affairs Ministry after his graduation from the Pyongyang University of Foreign Languages. His first foreign posting took him to Italy as Embassy Secretary (1990-1995). Subsequently he became Deputy Head of the Department of International Organizations, interrupted by his appointment as Ambassador to the United Kingdom (2003-2006). He speaks English in addition to his mother tongue.

Ould Mohamed M'Bareck Bebbe
Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania

Ambassador Ould Mohamed M'Bareck Bebbe was born in Boutilimit in 1954. He graduated from the National School of Administration in Nouakchott, and began his career as Head of Unit in his country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation. From 1987 onwards he worked in foreign posts in Algiers, Rabat and Baghdad, where he was Charge d’affaires. Since 2002 he has held the rank of Ambassador, and has worked in management roles in the Ministry. He speaks Arabic and French.

Maria Cleofe Rayos Natividad
Ambassador of the Republic of the Philippines

Ambassador Maria Cleofe Rayos Natividad, born on the 29th of November 1959, gained an MA in International Affairs in Washington D.C,. USA, and graduated from the Foreign Service Programme at Britain’s Oxford University. After foreign postings in Canberra and Tokyo, and various management positions at the Foreign Affairs Ministry, she was made Deputy Chief of Mission at the Philippine embassy in Berlin. Her most recent position has been that of Consul General in Frankfurt.

Elyes Ghariani
Ambassador of the Tunisian Republic

Ambassador Elyes Ghariani, born on the 2nd of June 1958, has a degree from the Graduate Institute of International Studies in Geneva and a Master’s degree in Languages. In 1986, he was appointed Secretary of the Tunisian Embassy in Bonn. After a period of employment at the EU’s Tunisian offices in Brussels (1993-1999), he returned to Germany as the Tunisian Ambassador in 2003. Most recently, he has served as an Ambassador in Paris. He speaks Arabic, French, English, German and Russian.

Upali Sarrath Kongahage
Ambassador of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka

Ambassador Upali Sarrath Kongahage, born on the 25th of July 1952, graduated in law from the Sri Lanka Law College. For many years, he worked as a lawyer at the Supreme Court. This was followed in 2002 by his appointment as Chairman of the Cey-Nor Foundation, and then subsequently by his move into the media industry two years later. Before his appointment as Ambassador to Germany, he worked as a consultant for the Ministry of Information, and as CEO of the state TV station Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation.

Päivi Maria LOUSTARINEN
Ambassador of the Republic of Finland

Ambassador Päivi Maria LOUSTARINEN was born on 13th January 1955. After completing her studies in Law in Helsinki and working briefly as a lawyer she joined the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland. She has worked in various capacities at the Permanent Mission of Finland to the United Nations in New York and has devoted herself increasingly to trade policy. Besides her mother tongue Finnish, she speaks English, Swedish, German and French.

Makhenkesi Arnold STOFILE
Ambassador of the Republic of South Africa

Ambassador Makhenkesi Arnold STOFILE was born on 27th December 1944. After studying Theology he worked as a lecturer at the University of Fort Hare till 1987. From 1994 to 1997 he was the Chief Whip and Treasurer General of the ANC. From 1997 to 2004 he served as Premier of the Eastern Cape Province, and then until 2010 as Minister of Sport and Recreation of the Republic of South Africa. Besides English, Afrikaans and several South African tribal languages he also speaks German.

Dipl.-Ing. Jorge JURADO MOSQUERA
Ambassador of the Republic of Ecuador

Ambassador Dipl.-Ing. Jorge JURADO MOSQUERA was born on 12th November 1953. He studied Energy and Process Engineering at the Berlin University of Technology. He then worked as a consultant for water management, development planning and environmental issues. He was the Director of Environmental Issues at the Municipality of Quito. In 2007 he became Secretary of State for Mining and in 2008 Minister of the National Secretariat for Water. Besides Spanish, he speaks German, English and French (basic).

José Joaquín CHAVERRI SIEVERT
Ambassador of the Republic of Costa Rica

Ambassador José Joaquín CHAVERRI SIEVERT was born on 30th August 1949. He studied Communication Science and Public Administration. From 1971 to 1984 he was the Chief Press Officer at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and then Director of Radio Costa Rica. In 1987 he was appointed Ambassador to Germany, Czechoslovakia and Denmark (till 1990). After this, he became Director of the Diplomatic Institute at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Besides Spanish, he speaks German, English and French.

Maurice GOURDAULT-MONTAGNE
Ambassador of the French Republic

Ambassador Maurice GOURDAULT-MONTAGNE was born on 16th November 1953. After completing his studies in Law in Paris in 1979, he joined the French Foreign Ministry and began his career in the Asia and Oceania Division. Later he was Head of the Advisory Staff to the Foreign Minister Alain Juppé (1995-1997) and G8 Sherpa to President Jacques Chirac (2002-2007). He represented France as Ambassador to Tokyo (1998-2002) and London (2007-2011).

FESSEHA Asghedom Tessema
Ambassador of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia

Ambassador FESSEHA Asghedom Tessema studied at the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences in Moscow, at Sangamon State University in Illinois, USA, and at the University of Amsterdam. He served as the Deputy Permanent Representative of Ethiopia to the United Nations (1992-2002), was the Head of Politics and Economics Department at the Ethiopian Embassy in Washington DC (2002-2006) and was Ambassador to Tel Aviv in Israel (2006-2010).

Carlos JIMÉNEZ LICONA
Ambassador of the Republic of Guatemala

Ambassador Carlos JIMÉNEZ LICONA was born on 28th March 1952. He completed studies at the University of San Carlos in Guatemala and at the Free University in Brussels. As Ambassador, he represented his country in Luxembourg, the Netherlands and the EU (1989-1992), in Sweden ((1995-1998), Canada (2000-2007) and Brazil (2007-2011). Twice he was Deputy Foreign Minister of Guatemala (1992-1993 and 1998-2000). In addition to Spanish, he speaks English and French.

Radwan LOUTFI
Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Syria

Ambassador Radwan LOUTFI born on 7th April 1960, studied at the University of Damascus, at the Royal College of Defence Studies and at King's College in London (Master’s degree). During his diplomatic career he has been stationed at Bonn (1988-1993), Belgrade, Yerevan and Tripoli. In London, he was the Deputy Head of Mission (2004-2009). He has most recently served as Director of the Europe Division in the Foreign Ministry. Besides Arabic, he speaks French, German and English.

Julio Ernesto MUÑOZ DEACON
Ambassador of the Republic of Peru

Ambassador Julio Ernesto MUÑOZ DEACON was born on 17th July 1950. After completing his studies in Humanities and training at the Diplomatic Academy in Lima he joined the Foreign Ministry of the Republic of Peru. His many postings abroad include Caracas in Venezuela, Geneva, Brussels and Montreal. From 1996 to 1999 he represented Peru as Ambassador to the Czech Republic. Since 2009, he has been the Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Renier Willem Joseph NIJSKENS
Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium

Ambassador Renier Willem Joseph NIJSKENS was born on 20th September 1949. He holds a degree with a major in International Relations from the Catholic University of Leuven. He was Ambassador to Kenya and Uganda, the Republic of Korea and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Since 2009 he has been Director of the Africa Department at the Belgian Foreign Ministry. He speaks English, French, Dutch, German, Arabic (basic) and Portuguese (basic).

Dr. József CZUKOR
Ambassador of the Republic of Hungary

Ambassador Dr. József CZUKOR was born on 28 January 1958. After completing studies in Law in Budapest, he first entered the Ministry of the Interior and then moved to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. He headed the Political Section of the Hungarian Embassy in Bonn (1992-1993) and served as Envoy during the period in which the embassy moved to Berlin (1997-2002). From 2002 to 2004, he served as Director of the Information Office, and, from 2005 to 2009, he was Ambassador to Slovenia. In addition to Hungarian, he speaks English and German.

Prof. Dr. Abdul Rahman ASHRAF
Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan

Ambassador Prof. Dr. Abdul Rahman ASHRAF was born on 2 July 1944. He studied Geology in Kabul and at the University of Bonn (doctorate in 1976). He later was a professor and scholar in Bonn and at the University of Tübingen. He also lectured at Chinese universities. He served as advisor to President Karzai (with the rank of a minister) on mining and energy and also held the post of Chancellor of the University of Kabul. He speaks Dari, Pashto, German, French, and English.

Sarojini SEENEEVASSEN-FRERS
Ambassador of the Republic of Mauritius

Ambassador Sarojini SEENEEVASSEN-FRERS was born on 11 October 1951. She studied Marine Biology in Kiel on a DAAD scholarship. She then worked for the Ministry of Fisheries and in the private sector, including the hotel industry. She married a German and also maintained professional links to Germany. She later served as advisor to the Ministry of Agriculture and her last previous position was at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (International Trade Relations).

Efrain Anibal Diaz ARRIVILLAGA
Ambassador of the Republic of Honduras

Ambassador Efrain Anibal Diaz ARRIVILLAGA was born on 30 July 1944 in Tegucigalpa. He holds a degree in Economics from Georgetown University, Washington, D.C. and a Master Degree in Agricultural Economics from Kansas State University. He held leading administrative positions in development organizations and government ministries. He most recently served as adviser to his government’s Staff Office on Poverty Reduction. He speaks English and Spanish.

Sven Staffan CARLSSON
Ambassador of the Kingdom of Sweden

Ambassador Sven Staffan CARLSSON was born on 14 January 1948. He studied History, Political Science, and International Relations at Carleton College in Minnesota, USA. After holding various top administrative positions (including Director of the Section for Western Europe and North America) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Stockholm, he was named Ambassador to Hungary (1998-2003) and to Britain (2004-2010). He speaks English, German, Russian, and French.

Simon McDonald
Ambassador of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Ambassador Simon McDonald was born on 9 March 1961. He studied Oriental and African Studies at the University of London and attended courses in Arabic. He has been stationed abroad to, among other places, Riyadh, Bonn, and Washington. From 2003 to 2006, he served as Ambassador to Israel. In 2007, he took up the post of Foreign Policy Adviser to Prime Minister Gordon Brown and served as Head of the Cabinet Office Foreign and Defense Policy Secretariat. He speaks English and Arabic.

Henri-Antoine TURPIN
Ambassador of the Republic of Senegal

Ambassador Henri-Antoine TURPIN was born on 30 April 1950. He studied History at the University of Dakar and subsequently completed studies in the Faculty of Diplomacy at the National School of Administration and the Judiciary (ENAM). From September 1993 to February 2005, he served as Senegalese Ambassador to the Holy See and the Order of Malta. He then served as Ambassador to Sweden, Denmark, and Finland.

Kornelija UTEVSKA-GLIGOROVSKA
Ambassador of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

Ambassador Kornelija UTEVSKA-GLIGOROVSKA was born on 28 December 1973. She studied German Language and Literature, European Integration, and Communications in Skopje. She was an assistant at her country’s embassy in Bonn, worked as an editor at the Deutsche Welle, and was office chief and assistant to the manager of Media Print Makedonija (a subsidiary of the WAZ Group), before she joined the Foreign Service in 2006 as State Counselor for Coordination at the Cabinet of the Minister in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Tolendy K. MAKEYEV
Ambassador of the Kyrgyz Republic

Ambassador Tolendy K. MAKEYEV was born on 26 April 1958 in Bishkek. He holds a degree in German Studies from the Kyrgyz State University and completed the course of studies for young diplomats offered by the German Foreign Office in Berlin (1992). He has served, among other posts, as Envoy at the Kyrgyz Embassy in Bonn (1995-1996), Embassy Counsellor in Berlin (2001-2004), and, as of November 2005, Deputy Foreign Minister of the Kyrgyz Republic. He speaks English and German.

Victorio Maria José TACCETTI
Botschafter der Argentinischen Republik

Botschafter Victorio Maria José TACCETTI, geboren am 22. Januar 1943, schloss sein Studium an der Universidad del Salvador in Buenos Aires als Rechtsanwalt ab und trat 1973 als stellv. Konsul in den Auswärtigen Dienst seines Landes ein. Er amtierte als Botschafter in Mexiko (1994-1999), leitete das Kabinett des Außenministers (2002-2003) und war Botschafter in Italien (2004-2008). Von 2008 bis 2010 war er stellvertretender Außenminister der Republik Argentinien.

Aurelio CIOCOI
Ambassador of the Republic of Moldova

Ambassador Aurelio CIOCOI was born on 5 June 1968. He worked as a newspaper journalist before beginning studies in International Relations in Bucharest. In 1997, he completed a program at the German Foreign Office for young diplomats from Central and Eastern Europe. From 2001 to 2004, he headed the Bonn Office of the Embassy of the Republic of Moldova, and subsequently held the post of Section Head at his country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In 2007, he returned to Germany as Embassy Counsellor and most recently held the post of Envoy.

Ken Nyauncho OSINDE
Ambassador of the Republic of Kenya

Ambassador Ken Nyauncho OSINDE was born on 18 August 1962. He holds an M.A. degree from the University of Nairobi and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree. After many years in academia as a lecturer, he took up the post of manager at the National Bank of Kenya, where he rose to the position of Head of the Strategic Planning Group. Until recently, he played a leading role in his country’s insurance industry. He speaks English, Kiswahili, and Kisii.

Moussa DIAGANA
Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania

Ambassdor Moussa DIAGANA was born on 15 December 1959. He studied at the École Nationale d’Administration (ENA) in Nouakchott and subsequently entered the Ministry of the Interior, Post and Telecommunications. He served as Prefect for the Tcyarett Arrondissement, Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, as well as Minister of Trade, Craft Industries and Tourism. He most recently served as Consul General in Paris (1999-2010). He speaks French and Arabic.

Per POULSEN-HANSEN
Ambassador of the Kingdom of Denmark

Ambassador Per POULSEN-HANSEN was born on 14 September 1946 in Copenhagen. He studied Russian and Law (state examination) at the university of his native city, before joining the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1973. His first postings abroad were to the Danish Embassies in Moscow (1976-1979) and London (1984-1986). He served as Ambassador to Czechoslovakia (1991-1993) and, most recently, was the Danish Permanent Representative to NATO in Brussels from 2003 to the present.

Peter Howard RIDER
Ambassador of New Zealand

Ambassador Peter Howard RIDER was born on 1 January 1951. After studying Philosophy, he joined the New Zealand Foreign Service. Postings abroad included Bahrain, Riyadh, and the New Zealand Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York. He served as Ambassador to Thailand (2003-2006) and subsequently headed the Section for Information and Public Relations (2006-2008) as well as the Section for the United Nations, Human Rights, and the Commonwealth (2008-2009).

Hussain Mahmood Fadhlalla AL KHATEEB
Ambassador of the Republic of Iraq

Ambassador Hussain Mahmood Fadhlalla AL KHATEEB was born on 1 July 1953. He studied Chemistry and earned a doctorate in Manchester. His scientific career took him to the Universities of Amsterdam and Edinburgh, as well as to Al-Fateh University in Tripoli (Libya), where he held the post of professor. He was a co-founder and Chairman of the “Union of Iraqi Organizations in the Netherlands” (UVIO) and the Organization for Human Rights in Iraq (OMRI). He speaks Arabic, English, and Dutch.

Igor SLOBODNIK
Ambassador of the Slovak Republic

Ambassador Igor SLOBODNIK was born on 23 October 1962. After completing his studies, he worked as a journalist and editor-in-chief at a weekly newspaper in Bratislava. In 1992, he became the private secretary of the Czechoslovakian Foreign Minister. He served as Deputy Head of Mission at the Slovak Embassy in Denmark and as Ambassador to Britain (1997-2000). From 2003 to 2008, he held the post of Permanent Representative of the Slovak Republic to NATO. He speaks English, German, Russian, French, Danish, and Polish.

Jorge Eduardo O'RYAN SCHÜTZ
Ambassador of the Republic of Chile

Ambassador Jorge Eduardo O'RYAN SCHÜTZ was born on 23 February 1958 in Puerto Montt. He attended a German school, and later studied law. After working as a lawyer, he joined his country’s Foreign Service in 1987. He served at the Chilean Embassy in Bonn (1991-1994) and as legal advisor to Special Ambassador James Holger Blair in Moscow (the Honecker case). In 1997, he returned to the private sector. In March 2010, President Sebastian Piñera named him Ambassador to Germany. He speaks Spanish, German, and English.

Karl R. XUEREB
Ambassador of the Republic of Malta

Ambassador Karl R. XUEREB was born on 15 March 1960. After completing studies at the University of Liverpool, he worked in the private sector, particularly in banking and finance. He held the post of General Manager of Creditinfo Malta Limited. He earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) at Warwick Business School. In 2005, he was appointed Ambassador of Malta to the People’s Republic of China, with accreditation for North and South Korea, Pakistan, and Japan.

Vladimir GRININ
Ambassador of the Russian Federation

Ambassador Vladimir GRININ was born in 1947. He is a graduate of the Moscow Institute for International Relations (1971) and the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1982). He worked on the staff of the Soviet Embassy to West Germany (1973-1980) and East Germany (1986-1990). In 1996, he was appointed Russian Ambassador to Austria, and later represented his country as Ambassador to Finland (2003-2006) and Poland. In addition to Russian, he speaks German, English, and French.

Dimitris RALLIS
Ambassador of the Hellenic Republic

Ambassador Dimitris RALLIS was born in 1952 in Athens. He studied law at the University of Athens. He was posted to a number of Greek missions abroad, including to East Berlin (1977-1981), Damascus (1987-1991), and Moscow (1998-1999 as Envoy). From 2005 to 2009, he served as Greek Ambassador to the Republic of Cyprus, and subsequently held the post of Director General for EU Affairs at the Hellenic Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In addition to Greek, he speaks English, French, and German.

Dato Ibrahim bin ABDULLAH
Ambassador of Malaysia

Ambassador Dato Ibrahim bin ABDULLAH was born on 6 April 1958 in Melaka. After completing studies in Kuala Lumpur, he first worked in the Malaysian Ministry of Trade and Industry, and later took a post in the Finance Ministry, before joining the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1988. His postings abroad included Buenos Aires, Ankara, Khartoum, and Tokyo (2001-2003 as Envoy). From 2003 to 2005, he served as High Commissioner of Malaysia in Lagos, Nigeria. In 2008, he was named Ambassador of Malaysia to Syria.

Francisco Nicolás GONZÁLEZ DÍAZ
Ambassador of the United Mexican States

Ambassador Francisco Nicolás GONZÁLEZ DÍAZ was born on 10 September 1966. He studied Business Administration and completed post-graduate studies at the University of Texas at Austin. He spent many years working in the private sector. From 2002 to 2008, he held the post of Commercial Counsellor for Germany as well as Central and Eastern Europe at the Mexican bank of foreign trade (Bancomext). In 2008, he became Regional Director for Europe and the Middle East of ProMexico in Frankfurt am Main. In addition to Spanish, he speaks English and German.

Dr. Tim GULDIMANN
Ambassador of the Swiss Confederation

Ambassador Dr. Tim GULDIMANN was born in 1950 in Zurich. He studied Economics and Political Science. He served as the head of the OSCE missions in Chechnya (1996), Croatia (1997), and Pristina, Kosovo (2007-2008) bearing the title of Ambassador. From 1999 to 2004, he represented Switzerland as Ambassador to Iran and Afghanistan based in Tehran. In 2004, he took the post of Professor of Political Science at the University of Frankfurt. He speaks German, French, and English.

Anita Cristina ESCHER ECHEVERRIA
Ambassador of the Republic of El Salvador

Ambassador Anita Cristina ESCHER ECHEVERRIA was born on 29 August 1958 in New Orleans, USA. After completing school in the USA, she furthered her studies in Zurich, Aachen, and Paris. She specialized in the area of literacy in Latin America and worked for the Swiss Labour Assistance (SAH). Since 2005, she worked as project coordinator and joint general manager with medico international schweiz in Zurich. She speaks Spanish, German, French, Italian, and English.

Mosud MANNAN
Ambassador of the People's Republic of Bangladesh

Ambassador Mosud MANNAN Ambassador Mosud Mannan was born on 21 April 1961. He studied Economics at the University of Dhaka and earned an M.A. Degree from Tufts University, USA. After joining his country’s foreign service, he held posts abroad in London, Muscat, and New York. He served as Deputy Head of Protocol at the Foreign Ministry in Dhaka (1996-2000) and as Envoy to Beijing (2002-2005). In September 2008, he was named Ambassador of Bangladesh to Morocco.

Johnston Fanwell CHIZINGA
Ambassador of the Republic of Zambia

Ambassador Johnston Fanwell CHIZINGA was born on 24 April 1960 in Chipata, Zambia. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) from the University of Zambia and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Birmingham. He spent many years as a manager in the private sector and in the banking and financial sector, before being appointed Ambassador of the Republic of Zambia to Berlin. He speaks English and a number of Zambian languages.

Hebson MAKUVISE
Ambassador of the Republic of Zimbabwe

Ambassador Hebson MAKUVISE was born on 19 March 1952. He completed studies at the Institute of Business Executives in Harare and the Institute of Administration and Commerce (SA). He is currently enrolled in a Master’s Degree program in International Relations. He has worked in Zimbabwe at the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, the Finance Ministry, and in the private sector. Since 2001, he has represented the Movement for Democratic Change Party (MDC) as its chief representative in Europe.

Dr. Musaed Rashid Ahmad AL-HAROUN
Ambassador of the State of Kuwait

Ambassador Dr. Musaed Rashid Ahmad AL-HAROUN was born on 19 September 1951. He studied Education in Egypt and in the USA (San Francisco University, Indiana University, Harvard), where he earned a doctorate. He served as Cultural Attaché at the Kuwaiti Embassy in Washington D.C., represented his country at UNESCO in Paris, held the post of Minister of Education (2001-2003), and most recently served as Ambassador to Canada (2005-2010). He speaks Arabic and English.

MOON Tae-young
Ambassador of the Republic of Korea

Ambassador MOON Tae-young was born on 12 September 1953. He studied Linguistics in Seoul and received a Master’s Degree in International Relations at Johns Hopkins University in Washington D.C. After entering the diplomatic service, he served abroad in Canada and Thailand as well as at Korea’s Permanent Mission to the UN in Geneva and in New York. He represented his country as Ambassador to Panama (2004-2007) and most recently held the post of Deputy Foreign Minister.

Gabriela von Habsburg
Ambassador of the Republic of Georgia

Ambassador Gabriela von Habsburg was born on 14 October 1956 in Luxemburg. The daughter of Otto von Habsburg and his wife Regina von Habsburg, she bears the title Princess of Sachsen-Meiningen. She studied Philosophy at the University of Munich and Art at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich. She has been a professor at the Tbilisi State Academy of Art since 2001. In May 2007, she obtained Georgian citizenship. She speaks German, English, French, Spanish, and Georgian.

Gunnar Snorri GUNNARSSON
Ambassador of the Republic of Iceland

Ambassador Gunnar Snorri GUNNARSSON was born on 13 July 1953 in Reykjavik. He studied English Literature and Philosophy in Edinburgh. His first postings abroad were at his country’s embassies in Paris and Brussels. From 1994 to 1997, he was Iceland’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva. He subsequently served as Ambassador to the EU. From 2006 to 2009, he served as Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China. In addition to Icelandic, he speaks English, French, German, Spanish, and a number of Scandinavian languages.

Dr. Zainab bint Ali Al-Qasmiya
Ambassador of the Sultanate of Oman

Ambassador Dr. Zainab bint Ali Al-Qasmiya was born on 12 May 1972 in Sur, Oman. She studied English as a Foreign Language at the Sultan Qaboos University and earned a doctorate in Britain. She first worked for a few years in the Education and Defense Ministries and later held high-level positions in the administration of the Technical University of Oman. In September 2009, she joined the Omani Foreign Ministry. She speaks Arabic and English.

Dilshod Khamidovich AKHATOV
Ambassador of the Republic of Uzbekistan

Ambassador Dilshod Khamidovich AKHATOV was born on 26 June 1972. He studied Political Science and International Relations. He participated in diplomacy programs in Germany, Korea, and Japan. From 1999 to 2003, he served as Foreign and Security Policy specialist at the Uzbekistan Embassy in Germany. From 2007 to 2010, he headed the Section for Cooperation with European States at the Uzbekistan Foreign Ministry. He speaks Russian, German, and English.

Peter Martin TESCH
Ambassador of Australia

Ambassador Peter Martin TESCH was born on 6 December 1965. He earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Queensland. In 1987, he began work at the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. From 1997 to 1999, he served as Ambassador to Kazakhstan and, from 2002 to 2005, as Deputy Permanent Representative of the Australian Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York. Before being named Ambassador to Berlin, he held the position of Australian Commissioner-General for the Shanghai World Expo 2010. In addition to English, he speaks German and Russian.

Javier Helmut CALVO QUIROS
Ambassador of the Republic of Panama

Ambassador Javier Helmut CALVO QUIROS was born on 9 October 1970. He studied Law and Political Science and later specialized in the areas of procedural law, banking law, and labor law. From 1990 to 2000, he worked at PRIBANCO, eventually holding the position of Deputy Head of the Legal Department. From 2008 to 2009, he was one of the founders of a legal society for banking and commercial law, worked as the director of the “Signs Plus” company, and was a partner in a financial company. He speaks Spanish and English.

M. Madjid BOUGUERRA
Ambassador of the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria

Ambassador M. Madjid BOUGUERRA was born on 8 January 1949 in Oum El-Bouaghi. He studied Economics in Algiers and received a Diploma from the National School of Administration (Diplomatic Section). His first postings abroad included the Algerian Embassy in Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) and his country’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York. As Ambassador, he represented Algeria in Zambia, Niger, and China (2001-2005). He speaks Arabic, French, and English.

DAVAADORJ Baldorj
Ambassador of Mongolia

Ambassador DAVAADORJ Baldorj was born on 7 October 1957. He completed studies in Economics in Leipzig and a traineeship at the Dresdner Bank in Frankfurt/Main (1989-1990). In 1996, he took part in the German Foreign Service Academy’s Training for International Diplomats program. He served as Embassy Counselor for Trade and Economy in Berlin (1999-2003), worked as a business consultant in Ulan Bator, and, in 2005, once again took up the position of Embassy Counselor in Berlin. He speaks Mongolian, Russian, and German.

Clémentine SHAKEMBO KAMANGA
Ambassador of the Democratic Republic of Congo

Ambassador Clémentine SHAKEMBO KAMANGA was born on 25 January 1950. She studied Psychology in Paris and completed a traineeship in International Relations in Moscow (1979). She served abroad at the Embassies of the (then) Republic of Zaire in Washington D.C. (1980-1984) and Lisbon (1988-2000). She later headed the America, Asia, and Oceania Section (2002-2007) and was an advisor to the Foreign Minister. She speaks French, English, and Portuguese.

Daniel MULHALL
Ambassador of Ireland

Ambassador Daniel MULHALL was born on 8 April 1955. He studied at University College Cork and earned a diploma to become a high school teacher. After joining the Foreign Ministry, he served abroad in New Delhi, Vienna, and at Ireland’s Permanent Mission to the EU in Brussels. In October 2001, he was named Ambassador to Malaysia (with additional accreditation for Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam). In September 2005, he became Head of the EU Section at the Foreign Ministry. He speaks English.

Abdulrahman Mohamed Sulaiman AL-KHULAIFI
Ambassador of the State of Qatar

Ambassador Abdulrahman Mohamed Sulaiman AL-KHULAIFI was born on 1 January 1954. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science at the University of Michigan in the USA. He then served on the staff of the Embassy of the State of Qatar in Paris. He represented his country as Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China (1993-1995) and France (1995-2000). His last previous post was as Head of the Section for Asian and African Affairs at his country’s Foreign Ministry. He speaks Arabic, English, and French.

Armen MARTIROSYAN
Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia

Ambassador Armen MARTIROSYAN was born on 10 February 1961. He completed studies in Electrical Engineering and earned a Master’s Degree in Public Administration at Columbia University in New York (2004-2006). He was advisor to the Armenian Prime Minister, served as Deputy Foreign Minister responsible for European Affairs (1999-2003), and was subsequently appointed Armenia’s Permanent Representative at the United Nations. He speaks Armenian, Russian, and English.

Paul King ARYENE
Ambassador of the Republic of Ghana

Ambassador Paul King ARYENE was born on 5 September 1949. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Modern History and a Diploma in Diplomacy (University of Nairobi) and Financial Analysis. His diplomatic career led to postings at Ghana’s missions in London, Moscow, Kuala Lumpur (1997-2001), Riyadh, and the Permanent Mission to the United Nations in Geneva (2005-2008). In 2008, he became Section Head for Political and Cultural Relations. He speaks English.

Raúl Alberto FLORENTIN ANTOLA
Ambassador of the Republic of Paraguay

Ambassador Raúl Alberto FLORENTIN ANTOLA was born on 20 November 1965 in Asunción. After attending school in Hamburg and Brussels, he studied Business Administration in Augsburg and worked for Siemens AG, before joining the Foreign Service of his country. He was Commissioner for the Office of Foreign Development at the Paraguayan Embassy in Bonn, Embassy Counselor in Berlin (2000-2002), and, since 2004, Charge d’Affaires in Bern. He speaks Spanish, German, English, French, and Italian.

Philip Dunton MURPHY
Ambassador of the United States of America

Ambassador Philip Dunton MURPHY was born on 16 August 1957 in Boston. He studied Economics at Harvard University and earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. From 1982 to 2006, he held senior executive posts at Goldman, Sachs & Co. in New York, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, and New Jersey. In 2006, he became Director of Murphy Endeavors, LLC, Red Bank, New Jersey. He speaks German, French, and Italian.

Hongbo WU
Ambassador of the People's Republic of China

Ambassador Hongbo WU was born on 4 May 1952 in Shandong. He completed a program in English Studies at the Beijing Foreign Studies University. At the Chinese Foreign Ministry, he held senior administrative posts in the Office for Hong Kong and Macao Affairs and in the Sino-British Joint Liaison Group. He was Section Head for Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan at the Chinese Foreign Ministry (2000-2002) and served as Ambassador to Manila (2003-2005). He speaks English.

Andrei GIRO
Ambassador of the Republic of Belarus

Ambassador Andrei GIRO was born on 20 October 1967. He studied German and English at the Minsk State Pedagogical Institute of Foreign Languages. In 1993, he began his professional career at the Foreign Ministry of the Republic of Belarus. This led to foreign postings in Bern (1996-1999) and Vienna (Embassy Counselor, 2001-2005). He then headed the Western Europe Section and, finally, the Consular Section at the Foreign Ministry. He speaks German and English.

Marnix KROP
Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

Ambassador Marnix KROP was born on 2 September 1948 in Groningen. After completing studies in law, he first worked as a lawyer and notary. He then continued studies in International Relations at John Hopkins University in Washington D.C. He headed the Development Policy and Basic Issues Section (1992-1996) and the Planning Committee (1996-1998) at the Dutch Foreign Ministry. He served as Deputy Head of Mission in Paris and as Ambassador to Warsaw (2006-2009). He speaks English and French.

Raul Francisco BECERRA EGANA
Ambassador of the Republic of Cuba

Ambassador Raul Francisco BECERRA EGANA was born on 27 November 1941 in Havana. He studied Foreign Trade at the Berlin School of Economics in East Berlin. He served as Trade Counselor for the Republic of Cuba in Austria and Switzerland (1973-1979). He subsequently held high-ranking posts at the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Trade and served as Trade Counselor in Germany (2001-2006). In 2006, he became Chairman of the Chamber of Trade and Industry of the Republic of Cuba. He speaks German and English.

Charivat SANTAPUTRA
Ambassador of the Kingdom of Thailand

Ambassador Charivat SANTAPUTRA was born on 25 March 1951. He studied Law, Economy, and International Politics in the U.K. and earned a doctorate at the University of Southampton. He also attended the National Defence College of Thailand (2006-2007). He served as Envoy at Thailand’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York (1994-1997), Ambassador to Kenya (2001), and Ambassador to Egypt (2003). Since 2006, he held the post of Deputy State Secretary. He speaks English.

Christine NKULIKIYINKA
Ambassador of the Republic of Ruanda

Ambassador Christine NKULIKIYINKA was born on 1 February 1965. She studied at the Ludwigshafen University of Applied Sciences and earned a diploma in Business Administration. From 1991 to 2005, she worked at the Rwandan Embassy in Germany, first as an administrative officer, and later as First Secretary and Second Embassy Counselor. After serving in the Foreign Ministry in Kigali, she began work as an advisor and translator in 2006. She speaks German, English, Kinyarwanda, and French.

Michele VALENSISE
Ambassador of the Italian Republic

Ambassador Michele VALENSISE was born on 3 April 1952. After successfully completing the Italian State Exam in Law, he joined the Diplomatic Service. His diplomatic career led to foreign postings in Brasilia, Bonn (1981-1984), Beirut, Brussels, and Sarajevo. He headed the Press and Information Section and was spokesman for the Foreign Minister (2001-2004). He then served as Ambassador in Brasilia, and, in 2009, was promoted to the rank of “Ambasciatore.” He speaks English, German, and French.

Suresh Prasad PRADHAN
Ambassador of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal

Ambassador Suresh Prasad PRADHAN was born on 3 September 1952. He studied at the Tribhuvan University in Kathmandu, earning a diploma in Education and Law. He subsequently worked as a teacher and school inspector. In 1984, he began work at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, where he held various administrative posts. In 2003, he became State Secretary, and, in the same year, Envoy and Deputy Head of Mission at the Nepalese Embassy in Beijing. He speaks English.

Dr. Vilson MIRDITA
Ambassador of the Republic of Kosovo

Ambassador Dr. Vilson MIRDITA was born on 29 April 1970. He studied Agriculture at the University of Pristina and Agrobiology at Hohenheim University. After receiving his doctorate, he worked at the Institute for Plant Breeding, Seed Research, and Population Genetics at Hohenheim University. From 2008 to 2009, he completed a program in diplomacy in Pristina and Berlin. In October 2008, he was named Chargé d’Affaires ad interim at the Embassy of the Republic of Kosovo in Berlin. He speaks English and German.

Rafael CALVENTI
Ambassador of the Dominican Republic

Ambassador Rafael CALVENTI was born on 18 March 1932. He is a qualified architect with a doctorate from Rome. He headed the Institute of Architecture at the Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo and in 1997 became member of National Commission for Urban Planning and of the Executive Commission for Cultural Heritage. He has served as Ambassador in Rome (1997-2000), Mexico City (2000-2005), and Buenos Aires (from 2005). He speaks Spanish, English, Italian, and French.

Valter IBRAHIMI
Ambassador of the Republic of Albania

Ambassador Valter IBRAHIMI was born on 28 July 1963 in Tirana. He completed a degree in Mining Engineering at the University of Tirana. His diplomatic career has included foreign postings to Bucharest and Prague. His activities at the Albanian Foreign Ministry focused on relations with North and South America. From 2002 to 2006, he served as Commissioner for European Integration. He then held the post of Chargé d’Affaires ad interim in Vienna and was named Ambassador in March 2006. He speaks English, Romanian, and Italian.

Prof. Dr. Ivo VISKOVIC
Ambassador of the Republic of Serbia

Ambassador Prof. Dr. Ivo VISKOVIC was born in 1949 in Makarska, Croatia. He earned a doctorate in International Studies at the University of Belgrade. He then worked for many years as professor, lecturer, and lector. From 2001 to 2004, he served as Serbian Ambassador to Slovenia. In 2007, he became member of the Council for Foreign Policy at the Foreign Ministry of the Republic of Serbia and Chairman of the Forum for International Relations. He speaks English, German, Slovenian, and Italian.

Francis Kamujanduzi BUTAGIRA
Ambassador of the Republic of Uganda

Ambassador Francis Kamujanduzi BUTAGIRA geboren am 22. November 1942, wurde nach seinem Jurastudium in Daressalam und Harvard Staatsanwalt und Richter. 1998 ernannte man ihn zum Botschafter in Äthiopien und zum Ständigen Vertreter bei der Organisation für Afrikanische Einheit (OAU), anschließend zum High Commissioner in Nairobi und Ständigem Vertreter beim Umweltprogramm der Vereinten Nationen. Im Juni 2003 wurde er Ständiger Vertreter Ugandas bei den VN in New York. Er spricht Englisch.

Sudhir VYAS
Ambassador of the Republic of India

Ambassador Sudhir VYAS was born on 24 September 1953. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology in Kanpur. After joining the Foreign Service, he held many posts abroad, including Cairo, Algiers, Katmandu, and New York. He served as Deputy Head of Mission in Daressalam (1993-1995) and Islamabad (1999-2003) and was Ambassador in Abu Dhabi (2003-2005) and Bhutan (since 2005). He speaks English, Hindi, Arabic, and French.

Dr. Ralph SCHEIDE
Ambassador of the Republic of Austria

Ambassador Dr. Ralph SCHEIDE was born on 15 February 1951 in Vienna. After completing studies in Law at the University of Vienna and language courses at the University of Lausanne, he entered the Federal Ministry for Foreign Affairs. He served, among other positions, as personal aide to the Austrian President (1987-1992), headed the Secretariat General at the Federal Ministry for Foreign Affairs, and was Ambassador in Ankara (1998-2001). In addition to German, he speaks English and French.