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Johan Verbeke

Senior Associate Fellow

verbekejohan@icloud.com

European Union; Diplomacy

Biography

CAREER

  • Assistant Professor of European Law at Ghent University (1975-1977)
  • Juniro Associate with law firm Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton (New York and Brussels, 1978-191)
  • Entered diplomatic service in 1981
  • Posted in Beirut (1983-85), Amman (Chargé d’Affaires, 1985), Bujumbura (1985-88) and Santiago de Chile (Chargé d’Affaires, 1988-90)
  • Chief Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1990-92)
  • “Antici” in the Permanent Representation of the European Union (1992-94, Belgian EU presidency)
  • Deputy Chief of Mission in Washington (1994-98)
  • Deputy Director General of Political Affairs (1998-99)
  • Director General of European Affairs (1999-2000)
  • Chef de Cabinet to the State Secretary for European Affairs (2000-02, Belgian EU Presidency)
  • Chef de Cabinet to the Minister of Foreign Affairs (2002-04)
  • Ambassador, Permanent Representative to the UN in New York (2004-08, Member of the Security Council)

  • Special Coordinator of the UN Secretary General  in Lebanon (with rank of Under Secretary General) (2008)
  • Special Representative of the UN Secretary General  in Georgia and Head of UNOMIG (2008-9)
  • Ambassador to the UK (2010-13)
  • Ambassador to the USA (2014-16)
  • Visiting Professor VUB (Brussels) (2016-19)
  • Director General of the Egmont Institute (2017 -2020 )

 

EDUCATION

Degrees in Law and Philosophy obtained in Belgium (J.D., MA, Ghent University), France (D.E.S., Université de Nancy) and the United States  (LL.M., Yale Law School)