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Sigrid Kaag
Portretfoto Sigrid Kaag 2018 01 (crop).jpg
Official portrait, 2018
United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process ad interim
Assumed office
17 January 2025
Secretary-General António Guterres
Preceded by Tor Wennesland
United Nations Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza
Assumed office
8 January 2024
Secretary-General António Guterres
Preceded by Position established
First Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands
In office
10 January 2022 – 8 January 2024
Prime Minister Mark Rutte
Preceded by Hugo de Jonge
Succeeded by Rob Jetten
Leader of the Democrats 66
In office
4 September 2020 – 12 August 2023
Preceded by Alexander Pechtold
Succeeded by Rob Jetten
Personal details
Born
Sigrid Agnes Maria Kaag

(1961-11-02) 2 November 1961 (age 63)
Rijswijk, Netherlands
Political party Democrats 66
Spouse
Anis al-Qaq
​
(m. 1993)​
Children 4
Education Utrecht University
American University in Cairo (BA)
St Antony's College, Oxford (MPhil)
University of Exeter (MA)
Occupation
  • Politician
  • humanitarian
  • diplomat

Sigrid Kaag (born November 2, 1961) is a Dutch politician and diplomat. She is known for her work with the UN and for holding important roles in the Dutch government. Since 2024, she has been the UN Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza.

Before this, Sigrid Kaag was the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance in the Netherlands from 2022 to 2024. She also served as Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation and Minister of Foreign Affairs. From 2020 to 2023, she was the leader of the Democrats 66 (D66) political party.

Sigrid Kaag started her career as a diplomat in 1994, working for the United Nations. She has worked in many different countries, focusing on humanitarian aid and peace efforts.

Early Life and Education

Sigrid Kaag was born on November 2, 1961, in Rijswijk, Netherlands. Her father was a classical pianist and music teacher, and her mother was a primary school teacher. She grew up in Zeist.

She first studied Arabic at Utrecht University. Later, she moved to The American University in Cairo and earned a degree in Middle East Studies in 1985. She continued her studies in the United Kingdom, getting master's degrees from St Antony's College, Oxford and the University of Exeter. She also trained in foreign relations in The Hague and studied in France.

Working for the United Nations

Sigrid Kaag began her career at the United Nations in 1994. She worked as an adviser in Sudan. From 1998 to 2004, she managed programs for the International Organization for Migration and UNRWA in Jerusalem. Her work in the Middle East covered areas like the Palestinian territories, Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria.

From 2007 to 2010, she was a Regional Director for UNICEF in Amman, focusing on the Middle East and North Africa. In 2010, she became an Assistant Secretary-General for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in New York. In this role, she helped manage the UNDP's global efforts and fundraising.

Leading the Mission in Syria

In October 2013, the UN Secretary-General asked Sigrid Kaag to lead a special mission in Syria. This mission, called the OPCW-UN Joint Mission in Syria, was created to oversee the removal of Syria's chemical weapons. She led a team of 100 experts to make sure these weapons were destroyed by June 2014.

Working for Peace in Lebanon

After her mission in Syria, Sigrid Kaag became the UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon (UNSCOL) in December 2014. She worked in this role until October 2017, helping to promote peace and stability in Lebanon.

Dutch Politics and Government Roles

In 2017, Sigrid Kaag entered Dutch politics. She became the Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation. This role involved managing trade and aid programs with other countries.

In February 2018, she briefly served as the acting Minister of Foreign Affairs. This made her the first woman to hold this position in the Netherlands.

Sigrid Kaag UN Security Council
Kaag speaking at the United Nations Security Council in 2018
181105-08 Kaag bezoekt Bangladesh en Myanmar (45730422282)
Kaag meeting with State Counsellor of Myanmar Aung San Suu Kyi in 2018

Leading the D66 Party

In 2020, Sigrid Kaag decided to run for the leadership of the D66 party. She wanted to become the first female prime minister of the Netherlands. She won the election within her party with a large majority and became the party leader in September 2020.

Under her leadership, D66 did very well in the 2021 general election. The party won 24 seats in the House of Representatives, becoming the second-largest party. Sigrid Kaag then became the party's leader in parliament.

Minister of Foreign Affairs

In May 2021, Sigrid Kaag was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs. She held this position along with her role as Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation for a few months.

However, in September 2021, she resigned from her role as Minister of Foreign Affairs. This happened after the Dutch parliament criticized the government's handling of the evacuation of Dutch citizens from Afghanistan.

Minister of Finance

Acting Deputy Secretary Victoria Nuland meets with Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands Sigrid Kaag at the State Department in Washington, D.C. on November 15, 2023
Kaag meeting with acting United States Deputy Secretary of State, Victoria Nuland, in 2023

After negotiations, Sigrid Kaag returned to the government in January 2022. She became the Minister of Finance and the First Deputy Prime Minister. In this role, she was responsible for the country's money matters. She focused on careful spending after a period of high costs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In July 2023, Sigrid Kaag announced that she would not continue as D66 leader in the next election. She explained that the challenges and difficulties of the job had a big impact on her family.

Return to Diplomacy

On January 8, 2024, Sigrid Kaag returned to the United Nations. She became the UN Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza. This new role was created to help get more aid into Gaza during the ongoing conflict. Her job is to make sure humanitarian supplies reach people in need and to help rebuild the area.

In January 2025, she also took on the role of UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process. She holds both positions to help with peace and aid efforts in the region.

Honours and Awards

Personal Life

Sigrid Kaag is married and has four children. Her husband, Anis al-Qaq, is a dentist from Jerusalem. He also served as a deputy minister for the Palestinian Authority.

Sigrid Kaag is known for being able to speak many languages. She speaks Dutch, English, French, Spanish, German, and Arabic. She was raised Catholic and continues to practice her faith.

Images for kids

  • Sigrid Kaag UN Security Council

    Kaag speaking at the United Nations Security Council in 2018

  • 181105-08 Kaag bezoekt Bangladesh en Myanmar (45730422282)

    Kaag meeting with State Counsellor of Myanmar Aung San Suu Kyi in 2018

  • Acting Deputy Secretary Victoria Nuland meets with Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands Sigrid Kaag at the State Department in Washington, D.C. on November 15, 2023

    Kaag meeting with acting United States Deputy Secretary of State, Victoria Nuland, in 2023

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Sigrid Kaag para niños

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