NEW PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF ESTONIA PRESENTS CREDENTIALS

Biographical Note

NEW PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF ESTONIA PRESENTS CREDENTIALS

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

Jaak Jõerüüt, the new Permanent Representative of Estonia to the United Nations, presented his credentials today to Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

Before his current appointment, Mr. Jõerüüt was Inspector General in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 2003.  Prior to that, he served as Estonia’s Ambassador to Cyprus (1999-2004), and Ambassador to Malta (1999-2002).  From October 2002 until May 2003, he was Special Adviser to the Government of Estonia.  He co-authored a report entitled “Estonia and Finland in the European Union”.  From 1998 to 2002, he was Estonia’s Ambassador to Italy, and before that, he served as Ambassador to Finland (1993-1997).  He also served as Director General of the Protocol Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1997-1998).

During his extensive career, the new envoy was also a Member of Parliament, serving as Chairman of the Standing Committee of Research, Education and Culture in the Supreme Council of Estonia (1990-1992).  From 1989 to 1990, he was Deputy Minister in the Ministry of Culture.  For several years prior to his government posts, he was Secretary and Deputy Chairman of the Estonian Writers’ Union, and Editor at the Publishing House of “Eesti Raamat”.  He also served on the boards of the newspapers “Õhtuleht” and “Rahva Hääl”, from 1972 to 1990.

He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from the Tallin Technical Institute in 1973.  Author of 12 books of poetry and prose, as well as of numerous articles and essays in newspapers and magazines, the new Estonian diplomat also speaks several languages, including Finnish, English, Russian and some Italian, in addition to his native Estonian.

Born in Tallin, Estonia, in 1947, Mr. Jõerüüt is married.

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