Biographical Note

SECRETARY-GENERAL APPOINTS PETKO DRAGANOV OF BULGARIA AS DEPUTY HEAD

OF UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT

 

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, in consultation with the Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), has decided to appoint Petko Draganov of Bulgaria as Deputy Secretary-General of UNCTAD.  Mr. Draganov, who is expected to assume his functions in May 2009, will replace the late Dirk J. Bruinsma.

Mr. Draganov is expected to bring to this position proven commitment to the work of UNCTAD, strong diplomatic and negotiating skills and a keen knowledge of the key stakeholders of UNCTAD.

He has a long and distinguished career in multilateral diplomacy, including thorough familiarity with the work of UNCTAD.  His valuable service to UNCTAD included most recently his role as President of UNCTAD’s Trade and Development Board, in which capacity he helped to steer the UNCTAD XII negotiations to a successful conclusion.

He is currently serving a second term as Permanent Representative of Bulgaria to the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva.  In between, he held the position of Deputy Foreign Minister and President of the National Commission on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) with the Government of Bulgaria.  In more than 25 years of distinguished diplomatic service, Mr. Draganov has fulfilled various progressively responsible functions in Ghana and Zimbabwe, and also served as Ambassador to South Africa, Namibia and Botswana.

Mr. Draganov holds a Master of Arts in international law from the Moscow Institute for International Relations.

Born on January 25, 1958, Mr. Draganov is married and has a daughter and a son.

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