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

Mr. Juan Esteban Aguirre Martinez, the new Permanent Representative of Paraguay to the United Nations Office at Geneva, today presented his credentials to Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva.

Prior to his appointment to Geneva Mr. Martinez was the Deputy Minister of Paraguay for Foreign Affairs, a position he held from 2011. From 2010 to 2011 he was the Director General of Multilateral Policy at the Ministry of External Relations. Mr. Martinez undertook an eight-year posting to Canada between 2001 and 2009, where he served as Paraguay’s Ambassador to that country. From 2000 to 2001 Mr. Martinez was the Minister of Foreign Affairs, which followed a tour of duty to the United States where he spent a year serving as Ambassador, the second time he held that position, the first being between the years of 1992 and 1994. Mr. Martinez was also the Ambassador to Brazil during the years 1989 to 1992.

During his career Mr. Martinez also spent time working for the United Nations. From 1994 to 1999 he held the consecutive posts of representative of the United Nations for the population with the Governments of Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela; and as representative of the United Nations for the population with the Government of Guatemala. Mr. Martinez worked as a Programme Officer for the United Nations between 1983 and 1985.

Prior to his international career Mr. Martinez was the Coordinator of International Cooperation Technical Secretariat of Planning from 1976 to 1983, and the Director of the Official Journal of the Senate from 1973 to 1976. Between the years of 1971 and 1973 he worked for the Paraguayan airline Líneas Aereas Paraguayas. Mr Martinez was a member of the armed forces of Paraguay for three years, serving his country between 1968 and 1971.

Mr. Martinez graduated from the University of Asunción in 1973 with a law degree, which he followed by reading a Master’s Degree in Public Administration at the University of South California between 1974 and 1976. He also gained a Diploma in Public Administration in Japan, where he studied from 1979 and 1980.

Born 5 August 1949 in Asunción, Mr. Martinez is married and speaks Spanish, Guaraní, English, Portuguese and French.


For use of the information media; not an official record

CR12/038E