Biographical Note

New Permanent Representative of Dominican Republic Presents Credentials

 

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

The new Permanent Representative of the Dominican Republic to the United Nations, Héctor Virgilio Alcántara, presented his credentials today to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

Mr. Alcántara previously served as Permanent Representative of the Dominican Republic to the United Nations between 1990 and 1993.

Most recently, Mr. Alcántara was the Permanent Representative of the Dominican Republic to the Organization of American States (2008-2011).  Among other diplomatic posts held during his diverse career, he served as Ambassador and Consul General of the Dominican Republic to both the Republic of Korea (1998-1999) and Japan (1993-1994), and, concurrently, as Ambassador to Canada (1993).

He served as Adviser to the Secretary of State of Foreign Affairs (2005-2008) and Adviser to the Secretary of State of Finance (2006-2008).  He was Adviser to the Supreme Court of Justice for the Programme for the Renovation of Land Jurisdiction (2003-2005).

Mr. Alcántara also has significant experience in the academic and media sectors.  He was Associate Director of the Dominican Institute of Applied Studies (2003-2008) and served as director of several Dominican newspapers, including El Financiero (2003) and El Expreso (2001).  He was both director and founder of the newspapers Hoy (1980-1988) and Ultima Hora (1970-1980).

Between 1970 and 1975, Mr. Alcántara taught journalism at the Instituto Dominicano de Periodismo.

The incoming Ambassador received his Bachelor of Arts degree in communication sciences from Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo (1967), and undertook graduate studies in journalism at the Latin America International Centre for Superior Studies.

Born in the Dominican Republic in 1943, Mr. Alcántara is married with four children.

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For information media • not an official record