Twelve new Heads of EU Delegations appointed by High Representative Catherine Ashton

Brussels, 14-6-2013 — /europawire.eu/ —  Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice President of the Commission, announced today the appointment of twelve new Heads of EU Delegations.

Gordon Kricke has been appointed Head of the EU Delegation to Angola. Currently German Ambassador to Niger, he has served as German Ambassador in Haiti, and as Permanent Representative of the German Ambassador in Sudan.

Josep Coll has been appointed as Head of the EU Delegation to Benin. Currently working in the Headquarters of the EEAS, he previously served as Head of the EU Delegation to Cape Verde and as Head of the Commission Representation in Barcelona.

Françoise Collet has been appointed as Head of the EU Delegation to Cameroon. Currently Head of the EU Delegation in Benin, she was previously Head of the EU Food Facility Task Force, and has also worked in the Delegations to Bangladesh and China.

Jean-Pierre Reymondet-Commoy has been appointed as Head of the EU Delegation to the Central African Republic. Currently Head of the EU Delegation to Sierra Leone, he has also worked in the Delegations to the Russian Federation and to Guinea (Conakry).

Jaume Segura Socias has been appointed as Head of the EU Delegation to El Salvador. He is currently the Secretary General of the Spanish Commission for Co-operation with UNESCO, and previously was Spanish Ambassador to the Dominican Republic.

Hans-Georg Gerstenlauer has been appointed as Head of the EU Delegation to Mauritius. The serving Head of the EU Delegation to Mauritania, he has previously served as Head of Unit on social dialogue, and on enlargement, within the European institutions.

Raul Mateus Paula has been appointed as Head of the EU Delegation to Niger. The serving Head of the EU Delegation to Cameroon, he has previously served as Head of Unit on development co-operation issues within the European institutions (AIDCO).

Michel Arrion has been appointed as Head of the EU Delegation to Nigeria. He is the serving Head of the EU Delegation to Rwanda, and formerly was Head of the EU Delegation to Ivory Coast and Liberia.

Michael Pulch has been appointed as Head of the EU Delegation to Singapore. The current Head of the Russia Division in the EEAS, he has also served as Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to China and Mongolia.

Nicola Bellomo has been appointed as Head of the EU Delegation to Swaziland. The Head of Political Section in the EU Delegation to the African Union, he has also served in the Delegations to the UN in New York and to Egypt.

Nicolas Berlanga Martinez has been appointed as Head of the EU Delegation to Togo. The current Head of Operations in the EU Delegation to Cameroon, he has also served as Chargé d’Affaires in the EU Delegation to Vanuatu.

Mihai Stuparu has been appointed as Head of the EU Delegation to the United Arab Emirates. Mr Stuparu, currently working in the EEAS Headquarters, was until January 2013 Ambassador of Romania to Australia and New Zealand, and has also served as Ambassador to Qatar, and as Ambassador to Iraq.

High Representative Catherine Ashton said: “I am delighted to announce the appointment of these excellent candidates to head up a number of EU Delegations. Their talent and expertise are significant assets for the EU’s external action and I look forward to working with them in their new roles”.

NB: To complete appointments, an accreditation request for a new Head of Delegation is sent to the host country. The selected candidate may take up duty only once accreditation of the host country has been granted and a number of administrative formalities have been completed.

For more information

The EU’s relations with all these countries:

http://www.eeas.europa.eu/countries/index_en.htm