Natalia Gherman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Natalia Gherman
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Gherman in 2012
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| Special Representative of the Secretary General for Central Asia | |
| In office 15 September 2017 – 2 December 2022 |
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| Secretary-General | António Guterres |
| Preceded by | Petko Draganov |
| Succeeded by | Kaha Imnadze |
| Deputy Prime Minister of Moldova | |
| In office 30 May 2013 – 20 January 2016 Serving with
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| President | Nicolae Timofti |
| Prime Minister | Iurie Leancă Chiril Gaburici Valeriu Streleț Gheorghe Brega (acting) |
| Preceded by | Iurie Leancă |
| Succeeded by | Andrei Galbur |
| Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration | |
| In office 30 May 2013 – 20 January 2016 |
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| President | Nicolae Timofti |
| Prime Minister | Iurie Leancă Chiril Gaburici Valeriu Streleț Gheorghe Brega (acting) |
| Preceded by | Iurie Leancă |
| Succeeded by | Andrei Galbur |
| Acting Prime Minister of Moldova | |
| In office 22 June 2015 – 30 July 2015 |
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| President | Nicolae Timofti |
| Preceded by | Chiril Gaburici |
| Succeeded by | Valeriu Streleț |
| Member of the Moldovan Parliament | |
| In office 9 December 2014 – 20 February 2015 |
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| Succeeded by | Maria Ciobanu |
| Parliamentary group | Liberal Democratic Party |
| Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration | |
| In office 29 June 2009 – 30 May 2013 |
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| President | Vladimir Voronin Mihai Ghimpu (acting) Vladimir Filat (acting) Marian Lupu (acting) Nicolae Timofti |
| Prime Minister | Zinaida Greceanîi Vitalie Pîrlog (acting) Vladimir Filat |
| Minister | Andrei Stratan Iurie Leancă |
| Moldovan ambassador to Sweden, Finland and Norway | |
| In office 17 February 2006 – 30 April 2009 |
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| President | Vladimir Voronin |
| Prime Minister | Vasile Tarlev Zinaida Greceanîi |
| Preceded by | Igor Corman |
| Succeeded by | Emil Druc |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Natalia Snegur
20 March 1969 Chișinău, Moldavian SSR, Soviet Union (now Moldova) |
| Political party | Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova |
| Other political affiliations |
Alliance for European Integration (2009–2013) Pro-European Coalition (2013–2015) Political Alliance for a European Moldova (2015) Alliance for European Integration III (2015–present) |
| Spouse | Artur Gherman |
| Children | Mircea Gherman |
| Parents | Mircea Snegur Georgeta Snegur |
| Alma mater | Moldova State University King's College London |
Natalia Gherman (born Natalia Snegur on March 20, 1969) is a politician from Moldova. She has held important roles in her country's government and at the United Nations. Since 2023, she has been the executive director of the UN's Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate.
From May 2013 to January 2016, Natalia Gherman served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration and Deputy Prime Minister of Moldova. Later, from 2017 to 2023, she was a special representative for the United Nations Secretary-General in Central Asia.
Natalia Gherman was born in Chișinău in 1969. Her father, Mircea Snegur, was the first president of Moldova. She studied at the Moldova State University and continued her education at King's College London. She started her career in diplomacy, working in different countries before becoming an ambassador.
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Early Life and Education
Natalia Gherman was born in 1969 in Chișinău. At that time, Chișinău was part of the Soviet Union. Today, it is the capital of independent Moldova. Her parents are Mircea Snegur and Georgeta Snegur. Her father, Mircea Snegur, was the first president of Moldova from 1991 to 1997.
For her first university degree, she earned a Bachelor of Arts (BA) from the Moldova State University. In 1999, she completed a Master of Arts (MA) degree. This was a postgraduate study in war studies at King's College London in the United Kingdom.
Diplomatic Career
Natalia Gherman began her work in diplomacy for Moldova in 1991. She started as a secretary in the Department of International Organizations. From 1994 to 1997, she worked as a counselor and deputy representative for the UN Agencies in Vienna. She also worked with the OSCE.
Between 1997 and 2001, she was deputy head of the European Security Department. This department was part of Moldova's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. From 2001 to 2002, she was a minister-counselor at the Moldovan Embassy in Brussels. She also served as deputy head of Moldova's Mission to NATO.
In 2002, she became Moldova's ambassador to Austria. She also became the permanent representative to the OSCE and UN Agencies in Vienna. In this role, she helped find solutions for conflicts in the OSCE area. She also worked to help resolve the Transnistria conflict in Moldova.
In 2006, she moved to Stockholm. There, she became the Moldovan Ambassador to Sweden, Norway, and Finland. She received the Order of the Polar Star from Sweden for her work. This award recognized her efforts in improving relations between Sweden and Moldova. She left this role in 2009 when she became a deputy minister.
In September 2017, she was appointed as a special representative. She also became the head of the UN Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy in Central Asia. This center is located in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.
Political Career
On June 29, 2009, Natalia Gherman was appointed as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration. She worked under Minister Andrei Stratan. In November 2009, she became the Chief Negotiator. This role involved talks with the European Union about the Moldova–European Union Association Agreement. She also helped with talks to make it easier for Moldovans to travel to the EU without a visa.
On May 30, 2013, she was appointed as the full Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration. At the same time, she also became the Deputy Prime Minister of Moldova. She was also in charge of the National Committee for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings. In this role, she took part in the Global Forum on Migration and Development. She also contributed to important discussions on international migration. In 2014, The Guardian newspaper named her one of "Seven women to watch in global politics." They suggested she could become a future prime minister or president. Also in 2014, she received Moldova's highest national honor, the Order of the Republic.
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In the November 2014 election, Natalia Gherman was elected as a member of parliament (MP). She joined the Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Policy and European Integration. After Chiril Gaburici resigned as Prime Minister of Moldova on June 22, 2015, Gherman took over as acting prime minister. She served until July 30, 2015, when Valeriu Streleț became prime minister. She then returned to her previous roles in the government. On January 20, 2016, Andrei Galbur took over her roles as minister of foreign affairs and deputy prime minister.
United Nations Secretary-General Selection
On February 18, 2016, Natalia Gherman was officially nominated. She was Moldova's candidate for Secretary-General of the United Nations. This was part of the selection process for Ban Ki-moon's successor. The nomination was made public the next day. Some believed that the ongoing issues between Moldova and Russia might affect her chances.
Gherman participated in a public discussion at the United Nations General Assembly on April 13, 2016. She stated that the "United Nations has never been so necessary." She spoke for over two hours. This event was seen as a big step for transparency by the group 1 for 7 Billion. As part of her campaign, she spoke at various events and interviews. These included the International Peace Institute and King's College London. She also had support from the Campaign to Elect a Woman UN Secretary-General.
During these discussions, Gherman was asked about serious issues. She said that reports on these problems should be carefully reviewed. She also stated that countries must ensure that those who commit such acts are punished. She believes their actions harm the UN's image. For victims, Gherman said everyone should work together to help them recover. She emphasized that such actions were "deplorable and unacceptable." She also said that countries need to make sure their troops are well-trained and held responsible.
Awards
- Order of the Republic (2014)
- Commander 1st Class of the Order of the Polar Star (2010, Sweden)
- Jubilee Medal "25 Years of Neutrality of Turkmenistan" (2020, Turkmenistan)
See also
In Spanish: Natalia Gherman para niños
