Arancha González Laya facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Most Excellent
Arancha González Laya
|
|
|---|---|
Arancha Gonzalez in May 2024
|
|
| Dean of the Paris School of International Affairs | |
| Assumed office 1 March 2022 |
|
| Preceded by | Enrico Letta |
| Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation | |
| In office 13 January 2020 – 12 July 2021 |
|
| Prime Minister | Pedro Sánchez |
| Preceded by | Margarita Robles (acting) |
| Succeeded by | José Manuel Albares |
| Executive Director of the International Trade Centre | |
| In office September 2013 – 13 January 2020 |
|
| Preceded by | Patricia Francis |
| Succeeded by | Pamela Coke-Hamilton |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
María Aránzazu González Laya
22 May 1969 San Sebastián, Spain |
| Education | University of Navarra Carlos III University of Madrid |
María Aránzazu "Arancha" González Laya, born on May 22, 1969, is a Spanish lawyer. She held an important job as the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Spain from 2020 to 2021. In this role, she helped manage Spain's relationships with other countries and the European Union.
Before that, Arancha González Laya worked for the United Nations. She was an assistant Secretary-General and led the International Trade Centre. This center helps countries around the world trade with each other. Since March 2022, she has been the dean of the Paris School of International Affairs at Sciences Po, a famous university in France.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Arancha González Laya was born in San Sebastián, Spain, on May 22, 1969. She grew up in a town called Tolosa in the Basque region of Spain.
She studied law at the University of Navarre. Later, she earned a special degree in European law from Carlos III University of Madrid.
Career Highlights
Working in the Private Sector
Arancha González Laya started her career as a lawyer in a private law firm in Brussels. She helped companies understand rules about trade and competition.
Working for International Organizations
From 2002 to 2005, González Laya worked for the European Commission. She was a spokesperson for trade and an advisor. She helped negotiate trade agreements between the EU and other regions.
She also worked for the World Trade Organization (WTO) from 2005 to 2013. She helped set up programs like "Aid for Trade." These programs help poorer countries improve their ability to trade. She also represented the WTO at important meetings of the G-20 group of countries.
As the leader of the International Trade Centre, González Laya worked to help women in business. In 2015, she launched the SheTrades Initiative. This project aims to connect many women entrepreneurs to markets around the world. She also helped create the Buenos Aires Declaration on Women and Trade. This declaration supports women's role in global trade.
She also started the Trade for Sustainable Development Forum. This forum brings together different groups to discuss how trade can be more environmentally friendly.
Serving as Foreign Minister of Spain
.jpg)
On January 13, 2020, Arancha González Laya became the Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation for Spain. She was part of the government led by Pedro Sánchez.
During her time as minister, she worked on important international issues. In December 2020, she helped Spain reach an agreement with the United Kingdom about Gibraltar. This was important as the Brexit transition period was ending.
In 2021, she introduced a new plan for Spain's foreign policy. This plan guided how Spain would interact with other countries for the next three years. She left this role in July 2021.
Leading the Paris School of International Affairs
On March 1, 2022, Arancha González Laya became the Dean of the Paris School of International Affairs (PSIA). This is a big achievement, as she is the first woman to hold this position. PSIA is known as one of the best schools for international studies in the world.
Other Activities
Arancha González Laya is involved in many other important groups and organizations. These include:
- Bertelsmann Stiftung, a foundation that works on social issues.
- European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), a think tank that studies European foreign policy.
- International Gender Champions (IGC), where she helps promote gender equality.
- World Economic Forum (WEF), where she helps discuss the future of international trade.
Personal Life
Arancha González Laya has taught about trade and development at several universities. She is very good with languages and speaks six: Spanish, Basque, English, French, German, and Italian. For fun, she enjoys trekking and art.
See also
In Spanish: Arancha González Laya para niños
