NEW PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF MARSHALL ISLANDS PRESENT CREDENTIALS

Biographical Note

NEW PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF MARSHALL ISLANDS PRESENT CREDENTIALS

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

Alfred Capelle, the new Permanent Representative of Marshall Islands to the United Nations, presented his credentials to Secretary-General Kofi Annan today. 

Prior to his current appointment, Mr. Capelle pursued a career in culture and education.  When nominated to represent his country at the United Nations Headquarters, he was serving as President of the College of Marshall Islands, a position he had held since 1996.

Mr. Capelle began his career as an elementary school teacher in 1968.  He subsequently served in various positions in the field of education, including Education Specialist at his country's Department of Education (1977-1979); Continuing Education Programme Coordinator for the College of Micronesia (1979-1982); Chief of Post-secondary Education at the Ministry of Education (1982-1983); and Director of Assumption Schools, Assumption Parish, Majuro (1983-1986).

He also worked as Resource Protection Officer and Chief Executive Officer at Alele Museum, from 1986 to 1996, and as a Language Consultant and Researcher at the Ministry of Education in 1996.

From 1962 to 1964, Mr. Capelle spent two years in the United States army, serving in Hawaii and Thailand.  For almost two years after that, he worked as an Administrative Aide for Global Associates, Inc. in Kwajalein.  In January 1966, he became Mayor of Likiep Atoll -- a position that he held until December 1968. 

Mr. Capelle received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Studies from the University of Hawaii at Manoa in 1974; and his Master of Arts degree in English as a Second Language from the same University in 1976.  He is one of the co-authors of the Marshallese-English Dictionary, which was compiled in the 1970s under the auspices of the Pacific Asian Linguistics Institute.

Mr. Capelle was born on 20 March 1940.

* *** *