Biographical Note

New Permanent Representative of Colombia Presents Credentials

 

(Based on information provided by the Protocol and Liaison Service.)

The new Permanent Representative of Colombia to the United Nations, Néstor Osorio, today presented his credentials to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

Prior to his appointment, from 2002, Mr. Osorio was the Executive Director of the International Coffee Organization.  From 2000 to 2002, he was the Special Advisor to his Government on Coffee and Trade Affairs, after serving for a year as an International Consultant with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the World Trade Organization.  His function was to assist developing countries in preparing trade negotiations in agriculture.  From 1994 to 1999, he was his country’s Permanent Representative to the World Trade Organization.  There, he held the position of Chairman with the Organization’s Trade Policy Review Body, its International Textiles and Clothing Bureau and its Committee on Agriculture.  In addition, as Chief Trade Negotiator, he participated both in ministerial conferences and in negotiations on multilateral trade.

From 1978 to 1994, Mr. Osorio served in a number of positions with the International Coffee Organization, including as Head of Delegation in London for 12 years after serving as Deputy Head for four.  During the final two years, he also served as Director of the European Office in Brussels while also representing his country at both the International Cocoa and the International Sugar Organizations, taking part in United Nations conferences and in those organized by UNCTAD and the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and the World Trade Organization.

He began his career at the Colombian Planning Department.  From 1974 to 1978, he held the posts of Legal Advisor, Secretary-General and Deputy Director there.

Mr. Osorio received a bachelor’s degree from Bogotá’s Gimnasio Campestre in 1962.  He earned his Doctorate in Law from Bogotá’s University del Rosario in 1970 and undertook postgraduate studies in public law.  In 1974, he was awarded a Doctorate in Administrative Law by the Paris-based Université de Droit, d’Économie et de Sciences Sociales.  He earned a Master of Science Diploma at the International Institute of Public Administration located in the same city.

Born on 7 August 1947, Mr. Osorio is married with grown children.

* *** *

For information media • not an official record