New York - Beirut: Europe and the Arabs
The Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, announced the appointment of Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert (Netherlands) as the United Nations Special Coordinator in Lebanon, after she completes - during the current month - her mandate as Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Iraq and Head of the United Nations Political Mission there.
Hennis-Plasschaert succeeds Joanna Wronitka (Poland), to whom the Secretary-General expressed his gratitude for her commitment and leadership of the Office.
Hennis-Plasschaert is the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Iraq and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (since 2018), and has more than 25 years of experience in diplomacy, international security and Middle East affairs.
Before that, she was Minister of Defense of the Netherlands (2012-2017) – the first woman to hold this position. She was a member of the Dutch House of Representatives (2010-2012) and a member of the European Parliament (2004-2010).
Hennis-Plasschaert has also worked at the European Commission in Belgium and Latvia, as well as in the city of Amsterdam and in the private sector.
Ms. Hennes-Plasschaert is fluent in English, French, German, and Dutch.