Biographical Note

NEW PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF PERU PRESENTS CREDENTIALS

 

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

The new Permanent Representative of Peru, Jorge Voto-Bernales, presented his credentials to Secretary-General Kofi Annan today.

Prior to his new appointment, Mr. Voto-Bernales served as an executive secretary to the binational Fund for Peace and Development Peru-Ecuador (June 2004 to September 2006) and as his country’s Permanent Representative to the European Office of the United Nations in Geneva (1997-2004).

While in Geneva, he held several elected positions, including Vice-President of the Human Rights Commission and Chairman of the Agriculture Committee of the World Trade Organization.  From 1998 to 2004, he also served as a non-resident Permanent Representative of Peru to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) in Nairobi, Kenya.

Having started his diplomatic career in 1971, as a Third Secretary at the General Division of Planning of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he held increasingly responsible positions within that Ministry over the years, becoming Chief of Cabinet of the Secretary General of Foreign Affairs in 1980.  He had many assignments outside his country, including posts in Ecuador, the Soviet Union, Germany, Spain, Austria and Argentina.

From 1987 to 1990, he became Director of the Americas General Division of Political Affairs, and then was assigned as Peru’s Director-General of Planning (1993) in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Director-General of Bilateral Political Affairs (1994-1995); and Vice-Minister and Secretary General of Foreign Affairs (1995-1997).

Mr. Voto-Bernales holds Bachelor of Economics and Master of International Relations degrees.

Born on 19 January 1944 in Lima, Peru, he is married, with three children.

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For information media • not an official record