Biographical Note

New Permanent Representative of Latvia Presents Credentials

 

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

The new Permanent Representative of Latvia to the United Nations, Janis Mazeiks, presented his credentials to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today.

From 2011 until his latest appointment, Mr. Mazeiks was Director General for Economic and Bilateral Relations in the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.  Previously, he was Latvia’s Permanent Representative the United Nations Office at Geneva and the World Trade Organization from 2007 to 2011, having previously served as Foreign Policy Adviser to the President between 2006 and 2007.

Mr. Mazeiks held various positions in the Foreign Ministry, including Director of the International Organizations and Human Rights Policy Department in 2006, and Deputy Director and Head of the Russia Division from 2005 to 2006.  He was also Deputy Permanent Representative to the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, France, between 2002 and 2005.

Before heading the Foreign Ministry’s Human Rights Policy Division from 1999 to 2001, Mr. Mazeiks was Deputy Head of the International Organizations and Human Rights Policy Division in 1998 to 1999, having first joined the foreign service as Senior United Nations Desk Officer, a position he held between 1995 and 1997.

He holds a Master of Arts in human rights and democratization from the University of Padua in Italy, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of Latvia, Riga.

Born on 30 January 1973, he is married and has two children.

* *** *

For information media • not an official record