EU Special Representatives confirmed, provisionally

(BRUSSELS2) The special representatives whose mandate ended (for the most part) on February 28, 2010 will see their mandate extended. At least provisionally until the date of creation of the External Action Service or, at the latest, until August 31, 2010. The decision was discussed in the PSC - the political and security committee of the EU - during one of its last meetings, on January 29. And it should be endorsed at a future meeting of the Council of Ministers.

The only exception: the special representative for Afghanistan. Its current holder, the Italian Francesco Sequi could be replaced. A call for applications has been launched. And at the London meeting on Afghanistan, the question of his replacement was raised. We are talking about the Lithuanian Vygaudas Ušackas (according to our colleagues fromEuropean Voice). The replacement could in all cover the two responsibilities: Special Representative and Head of the Delegation of the European Commission.

It can be noted that no special representative on Haiti is currently envisaged, whereas the United States had immediately appointed their special representative in the person of Bill Clinton who has since become the Special Representative of the 'UN. It should also be noted that no one has yet been named on piracy or Somalia issues. Solana's former personal representative for Somalia, French General Pierre-Michel Joana was not reappointed. In general, moreover, none of the personal representatives of Solana have been renewed.

Balkans

Bosnia and Herzegovina : Valentin Inzko (Austria). 50 years. Balkan specialist.
Journey: Ambassador to Slovenia (2005-2009) and Bosnia and Herzegovina (1996-1999), Head of the Eastern and South-Eastern Europe Department at the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2000-2004), Cultural Counselor at the Embassy of Prague (1993-1996), Head of the OSCE Mission to the Sandjak of Novi-Pazar (1992), Founding Director of the Austrian Cultural Institute in Prague - Rep. Czech Republic (1991-1995), Director of the Press - Information Section of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1989-1990), Counselor at the Austrian Mission to the United Nations New York (1986-1989), Press Attaché and Cultural Attaché at the Austrian Embassy in Belgrade - Yugoslavia (1982-1986). Entered the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the department "Central, South-Eastern Europe and Central Asia" (1981-1982). Head of the UNDP representation in Colombo - Sri-Lanka (1978-1980) and at the United Nations Office in Oulan-Bator Mongolia (1974-1978). Read also: Inzko, the EU special representative in Bosnia, a connoisseur...

Fyrom (Macedonia): Erwan
Fouere (Ireland) (*). 63 years old. A "community" who has spent his entire career at the Commission.
Career: Head of the EC delegation in Slovenia (2002-2005), Head of the OSCE section at DG Relex (1998-2002), Head of the delegation in South Africa (1994-1998), in Mexico City and Cuba (1989- 1993), assistant to the delegation in Caracas - Venezuela (1984-1989) ... Administrator at the DG Environment of the European Commission in charge of the negotiation of international conventions (1979 - 1983), Administrator at the DG Relex of the European Commission responsible for Eastern European countries and CSCE (1975-1979).

Kosovo : Pieter Feith (Netherlands). 65 years. An expert in EU crisis management.
Background: Director of ESDP Civilian Operations at the Council - CPCC (2007), Head of the Observer Delegation in Aceh AMM (2005-2006), Head of the EU Expert Team in Iraq (2005), Representative staff of Javier Solana in Darfur (2004), Deputy Director General for Politico-Military Affairs at the Council of the EU (2001-...). At NATO (1995-2001): Personal Representative of Secretary General Robertson in Yugoslavia, Director of Operations and Crisis Management, Head of the NATO Task Force in the Balkans, Political Advisor, Polad, commander of IFOR in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Entered the Dutch diplomatic service previously in 1970 where he served until 1995.

Caucasus - Central Asia

Crisis in Georgia / Central Asia : Pierre Morell (France). 65 years. A diplomat
seasoned specialist in the republics of the former USSR. Background: Appointed Special Representative for Central Asia in 2006 and for the crisis in Georgia in September 2008. Advisor to the Political Planning Center of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2006), Ambassador of France to the Holy See (2002-2005), in China (1996-2002), in Russia with responsibility for Moldova, Mongolia, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan (1992-1996), Kyrgyzstan (1993-1996), in Georgia (1992-1993), diplomatic advisor to the French President (Mitterand) as part of the delegation to the negotiation of the Maastricht Treaty (1991).

Moldova : Kalman Mizsei (Hungary). 54 years old. course: Visiting Professor at the University of Central Europe (2007), Assistant to the Secretary General of the United Nations, and Director of the Regional Office for Europe and the CIS at the UNDP (2001-2006), Director of Investments and Infrastructures in Europe Central and East to AIG Global Investment Corp (1997-2001), Chairman of Hungarian Export Import Bank Ltd and Hungarian Export
credit-insurance (1995-1997), Vice President of Economic Programs at the Institute for East European Studies in New York (1992-1995), Deputy Director of the Institute for World Economy at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (1990-1991).

South Caucasus : Peter Semneby
(Sweden). 50 years. Journey : Head of the OSCE Mission to Croatia (2002-2005) and Latvia (2000-2002), Head of ESDP at the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1997-2000). Positions in Swedish embassies in Germany, Ukraine, USSR.

Big lakes : Roeland van de Geer (The Netherlands). 57 years old. A professor and diplomat specializing in Africa.
Background: Ambassador of the Netherlands to Afghanistan (2006 – 2007), itinerant professor (2005 – 2006), Africa Director at the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2002 - 2005) and previously Western Hemisphere Director (1998 – 2002), Ambassador to Mozambique (1994 – 1998), head of the "development" department of South Africa at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1991 – 1994) and previously North Africa (1990 – 1991), Deputy Director at Center for Development Co-operation Services at the Free University of Amsterdam (1986 – 1989). Joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1982. Previously a visiting professor from the Free University of Amsterdam to the University of Lesotho and the Government of Lesotho.

 

Sudan : Torben Brylle (Denmark). 61 years old. A career diplomat.
Background: Danish Ambassador to Egypt (2007), to South Africa for all surrounding countries (2001-2007), Deputy Secretary for Multilateral Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Copenhagen (1997-2001), Head of the Middle East Department , North Africa, Latin America (1994-1997), director of the cabinet of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Development Cooperation (1994-1997), Head of the South Africa department (1991-1994), ... first adviser to the Danish Embassy in Paris (1983-1986). Joined the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1978.

 

African Union : Koen Vervaeke (Belgium) (*). 50 years (April 22, 1959).
Career: Head of the Africa Unit at the "Policy Unit" at the Council of the European Union (2003-2006), Belgian Special Envoy to the Great Lakes Region (2002-2003), Head of the Press and spokesperson for the Prime Minister (Verhofstadt) (1999-2002), political adviser to the Belgian political representation at the United Nations in Geneva (1995-1999) and at the Belgian embassy in Bujumbura - Burundi (1992-1995), First Secretary at the Belgian Embassy in Tunis - Tunisia (1989-1992). Joined the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in October 1987. Previously head of public and cultural relations at the bank ASLK-CGER (General Savings and Retirement Fund).

Asia - Middle East

Afghanistan. : Ettore Francesco Sequi (Italy) (**). 53 years. Joined the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1985.Italian Ambassador in Kabul (2004-2008), Deputy Head of the Italian Embassy in Tirana (2000-2004), Advisor to the Cabinet of the Minister of Foreign Affairs (1998-2000), Advisor to the Permanent Representation to the UN in New York (1994-1998), Consul of Italy in Teheran (1989-1994), office of the Director General of Economic Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1988-1989).

Middle East peace process : Marc Otte (Belgium). 62 years. A diplomat also specializing in the ESDP. Career: Advisor to Solana on ESDP (1999-2003) and Head of the ESDP Task Force in the Council. Director for Security and Disarmament Policy at the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1997-1999), Belgian Ambassador to Israel (1992-1996), Consul General of Belgium in Los Angeles (1988-1992). Adviser, Head of the Economic Service, at the Belgian Embassy in Zaire (1984-1988), First Secretary, in charge of Economy and Trade at the Belgian Embassy in Washington (1980-1984), Head of Division interministerial coordination in the European Affairs Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1978-1980), economic attaché at the Belgian Embassy in Washington (1976-1977). He entered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1976, before which he had worked in a private company as technical director of Kloeckner Bamaco SA and was a teacher at the Bokakata teacher training school in DR Congo (1970-1972).

 

(*) "Double hat", also leads the delegation of the European Commission.

(**) until February 28.

(photo credit: Council of the European Union. Top: Group photo with Javier Solana. I don't have another!)