New Permanent Representative of Belgium Presents Credentials

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

The new Permanent Representative of Belgium to the United Nations, Sophie De Smedt, presented her credentials to UN Secretary-General António Guterres today.

Between 2020 and her most recent appointment, Ms. Smedt served as Director-General for Personnel and Organization, overseeing human resources, buildings and logistics at her country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. From 2019 to 2020, she was assigned to assist the Secretary-General at the Ministry.

Her prior diplomatic experience includes serving as Consul General in Istanbul, Turkey, from 2016 to 2019; Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy in Beijing, China, from 2012 to 2016; and Counsellor of Direction of Economic Interests at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 2009 to 2012.  She also held the position of Deputy Head of Mission at her country’s Embassy in Seoul, Republic of Korea, from 2007 to  2009; and First Secretary at the Embassy in Rome, Italy, from 2003 to 2007.

From 1999 to 2001, Ms. Smedt worked as a Policy Officer at the EuropeAid Cooperation Office within the European Commission, following an academic career as a Professor of French Language and Literature at the University of Szeged, Hungary, from 1997 to 1999.

She holds a master’s degree in interpretation and translation from the University of Brussels.