NEW PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF SURINAME PRESENTS CREDENTIALS

NEW PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF SURINAME PRESENTS CREDENTIALS

(Based on information received from the Protocol and Liaison Service.)

Irma Klein-Loemban Tobing, the new Permanent Representative of Suriname to the United Nations, presented her credentials to Secretary-General Kofi Annan today.

Mrs. Klein-Loemban Tobing began her career in 1958 with Suriname’s Ministry of Justice, where she headed divisions for the legal protection of children and rehabilitation of delinquents; served as barrister; and eventually became Chief of the Legal Department.  From 1982 to 1988, she served as Chief of the Department of Juridical Affairs and Treaties of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Her diplomatic career began in September 1988 with her appointment as Counsellor at the Embassy of Suriname in the Netherlands, followed by her first assignment in June 1994 at the Permanent Mission of Suriname to the United Nations.  Most recently, she became Ambassador-at-large at the Permanent Mission.

Having completed her school and college studies in Suriname, Mrs. Klein-Loemban Tobing continued her education in the Netherlands, where she studied at the Social Academy of Sittard (1954) and graduated in 1957.  Back in Suriname, she obtained Law Degrees at the Law School (1966) and the University of Suriname (1970).  After preparations for her Ph.D. thesis at the Universities of Utrecht (Netherlands) and Suriname, she presented her thesis on Children’s’ Rights and Child Welfare at the University of Suriname in 1979.

Her special interest in women’s, children’s and older persons’ issues encouraged her to participate in international human rights programmes of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)(Paris, Ottawa), and the Rene Cassin Institute in Strasbourg.  She also took part in numerous international meetings, including major United Nations conferences on women (Nairobi, Beijing), human rights (Tehran) and social development (Copenhagen).

Mrs. Klein-Loemban Tobing has been Founder President of a number of non-governmental organizations, including the National Council of Women of Suriname, Soroptimist International, Club Paramaribo, Foundation Universal Children’s Day, United Nations Association (UNA) Suriname, and the Platform for Older Persons Organizations.

Mrs. Klein-Loemban Tobing also served her country as Member of Parliament and, since 1993, she has been a member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration.

She is married and has two sons, and enjoys classical music and information-communication technology.