Biographical Note

Stephan Tafrov of Bulgaria Elected Chair of Third Committee

 

Stephan Tafrov (Bulgaria) was elected Chair of the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) on 1 October.  (See Press Release GA/11432.)

He has been the Permanent Representative of Bulgaria to the United Nations since June 2012.  Prior to his appointment, Mr. Tafrov served as Special Envoy of the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria for the Eastern Partnership since September 2011.  He served as Adviser in the political Cabinet, and Ambassador at Large, advising the Foreign Minister on security issues in Europe and regional cooperation from 1 May 2006 to 26 July 2009.

From 2001 to 2006, Mr. Tafrov served as Permanent Representative of Bulgaria to the United Nations in New York, and from December 1997 to March 2011, he was Ambassador to France and Permanent Delegate of Bulgaria to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).  He was Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs from May 1997 to December 1997, and served as Ambassador to the United Kingdom and Ireland from January 1995 to May 1997.

He also served as Ambassador to Italy (1992–1995); First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs (1991-1992) and as Foreign Affairs Adviser to the President of Bulgaria.  Prior to joining the foreign ministry, he co-founded the Democratzia daily newspaper in 1989 and was editor of Review Sovremennik, published by the Bulgarian Writers Union until 1990.

The new Bulgarian envoy studied for a “diploma for secondary education” in French language, French literature and French culture from the Alphonse de Lamartine (Lycee de langue Française), Sofia, Bulgaria, from 1972 to 1977; and obtained a Master of Arts in journalism and mass communications from the University of Sofia.

Born on 11 February 1958, Mr. Tafrov is single.

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*     This supersedes Press Release BIO/4370 of 6 June 2012.

For information media • not an official record