NEW PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF COLOMBIA PRESENTS CREDENTIALS

Biographical Note

NEW PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF COLOMBIA PRESENTS CREDENTIALS

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

Luis Guillermo Giraldo, the new Permanent Representative of Colombia to the United Nations, presented his credentials today to Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

Prior to his current appointment, Mr. Giraldo was chief of the presidential campaign of Alvaro Uribe and, after the election, became part of the team in charge of writing the Government’s plan of action.  In 1999, he was part of the negotiating team for the peace process in his country

Before that, Mr. Giraldo served as Colombia’s Ambassador to Venezuela in 1998 and 1999.  In 1990 and 1991, he was Ambassador to Germany, and from 1978 to 1998, he was a Senator, serving as President of the Senate of Colombia in 1989.  From 1970 to 1978, he was a member of the House of Representatives.

Mr. Giraldo hold a law degree from Potificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogota, Colombia, and has published several books, among them “Cotrapunto del Poder y la Fama”, “Algunas Palabras”, “De Relojes y de Nostalgias” and “El Antiheroe”.

* *** *