New Permanent Representative of the Netherlands Presents Credentials to the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva

Paul Bekkers, the new Permanent Representative of the Netherlands to the United Nations Office at Geneva, today presented his credentials to Tatiana Valovaya, Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva. 

Prior to his appointment to Geneva, Mr. Bekkers had been serving as the Netherlands’ Special Envoy for Mental Health and Psychosocial Support, leading the Corona Taskforce as well as the Sexual Exploitation and Abuse and Sexual Harassment Taskforce. He was Chief of Staff and Deputy Head of the Secretariat of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, based in Vienna, from 2016 to 2020. He has also served as Ambassador of the Netherlands to Malaysia, Poland and Belarus.

Between 2005 and 2009, Mr. Bekkers served as Director for Health, Gender and Civil Society at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and at the same time as Special Ambassador for HIV/AIDS. Earlier in his career he served in Ghana, Zaire, South Africa and Turkey and in various positions at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in The Hague.

Mr. Bekkers has a master’s degree in law and has studied economics and history. At present, he is studying spirituality and philosophy.

CR21.036E