NEW PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF ESTONIA PRESENTS CREDENTIALS TO DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF UNOG

Jüri Seilenthal, the new Permanent Representative of Estonia to the United Nations Office at Geneva, today presented his credentials to Sergei Ordzhonikidze, the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva.

Prior to his appointment to Geneva, since August 2006, Mr. Seilenthal had been serving as the Chef de Cabinet of the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Prior to that, he was posted as Ambassador to Italy, from 2002 to 2006, serving simultaneously as Ambassador to Malta, from 2003 to 2006. Mr. Seilenthal served as Ambassador to Israel (resident in Tallinn) from 1999 to 2004, during which time he was also head of the Estonian Government delegation for negotiations on diplomatic real estate with the Russian Federation.

Mr. Seilenthal began his diplomatic career in 1995, when he entered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as assistant to the Secretary-General. In 1996, he was named Director General of the Personnel Department at the Ministry, and in April 1997 received his first foreign posting, as Chargé d'affaires a.i. of the Estonian Embassy in Dublin.

Mr. Seilenthal pursued master’s studies in sociology at Tartu University in 1993 and 1994. He received his bachelor’s degree in sociology from Tartu University in 1993.

Born on 28 December 1970, Mr. Seilenthal is married with two children.


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CR09023E