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

Rodolfo Benítez Verson, the new Permanent Representative of Cuba to the United Nations Office at Geneva, today presented his credentials to Tatiana Valovaya, the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva.

Prior to his appointment to Geneva, Mr. Benítez Verson had been serving as Director-General for Multilateral Affairs and International Law at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cuba since 2021.  He served as Cuba’s Ambassador to South Africa from 2017 to 2021.  He was also Deputy Permanent Representative of Cuba to the United Nations in New York from 2009 to 2012, where he was also posted from 2006 to 2009 and from 1997 to 2003.

Mr. Benítez Verson has also held various positions within Cuba’s Foreign Ministry, including as Head of the Department of Multilateral Political Affairs (2012-2017), and Advisor to the Cuban Minister for Foreign Affairs (2004-2006).  In 2017, he was awarded the Order of San Carlos, degree of the Grand Cross, by the President and Government of Colombia for his contribution as Chief Cuban Guarantor to the successful mediation of the Colombian peace process.

Mr. Benítez Verson carried out Master studies in international relations at the Higher Institute of International Relations Raúl Roa García (2006), and has a degree in international political relations from the same Institute (1991).  He also graduated from various higher studies programmes on disarmament and conflict resolution, including the United Nations Disarmament Fellowship Programme (1995).

Born in Havana, Cuba, on 3 November 1968, he is married and has two daughters.

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CR.24.049E

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