New Permanent Representative of Iceland Presents Credentials

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

The new Permanent Representative of Iceland to the United Nations, Einar Gunnarsson, presented his credentials to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today.

Prior to his appointment, from 2009 to 2014, Mr. Gunnarsson was the Permanent Secretary of State at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Iceland.  Also at the Ministry, he was Director and Chief Negotiator at the Department of International Trade Negotiations from 2008 to 2009 and Director of Human Resources for the Foreign Service from 2007 and 2008.

Mr. Gunnarsson served as Deputy Permanent Representative and Minister-Counsellor at the Permanent Mission of Iceland to the International Organizations in Geneva from 2004 and 2006 and as Counsellor at the Embassy and Mission of Iceland to the European Community in Brussels from 2000 and 2004.

At the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, he served in the Trade Department as First Secretary and Counsellor from 1998 and 2000 and as Legal Adviser and Deputy Director of the Defence Department from 1996 to 1998.

From 1992 and 1995, he was a lawyer at the GÁJ Law Firm in Reykjavik.

Mr. Gunnarsson holds a law degree from the University of Iceland.

He is married with two daughters.