Biographical Note

Secretary-General Appoints Mariano Fernández of Chile as Special

 

Representative for Haiti and Head of Stabilization Mission There

 

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today announced the appointment of Mariano Fernández of Chile as his Special Representative for Haiti and Head of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH).

Mr. Fernández will succeed Edmond Mulet of Guatemala, who took on the position in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti.  Mr. Mulet will complete his assignment on 31 May.  The Secretary-General expresses his deep appreciation to Mr. Mulet for his significant contribution to United Nations efforts in Haiti, and for his effective leadership of MINUSTAH.  Mr. Mulet has provided invaluable support and dedication not only to the United Nations family, but also to the people and Government of Haiti and the broader international community.

Mr. Fernández brings to the position nearly four decades of international experience as a member of the Foreign Service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Chile, most recently as the Minister of Foreign Affairs (2009-2010).  Prior to that, he worked as his country’s Ambassador to the United States (2006-2009), Great Britain (2002-2006), Spain (2000-2002) and Italy (1992-1994) and in the Chilean Mission to the European Union (1990-1992).  From 1994 to 2000, he served as Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs in Chile.  Between 2003 and 2007, Mr. Fernández also acted as Chile’s Commissioner to the International Whaling Commission.

In addition to his diplomatic postings, Mr. Fernández was a member of the Board of Directors of Radio Cooperativa, Vice-Chairman of the Italian-Latin-American Institute (ILAI) (1992-1994) and President of the Institute for European-Latin American Relations (IRELA) (1992-1994).  Between 1974-1982, during Chile’s military rule, he remained exiled in Germany during which time he worked as an editor of Development and Cooperation magazine, IPS Dritte Welt-Nachrichten-Agentur news agency and Handbuch der Entwicklungshilfe, or Handbook of Development Assistance.  Upon his return to Chile, Mr. Fernández worked as a researcher and member of the Executive Committee of the Center of Studies for Development (CED) (1982-1990).

Mr. Fernández studied law at the Catholic University in Santiago, Chile, and social science research methods at the University of Bonn in Germany.

Born in Santiago in 1945, he is married to María Angélica Morales and has three children.

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