Source: EU
Council appoints three new EU special representatives for the Sahel, Central Asia and the Horn of Africa
The Council today appointed three new EU special representatives (EUSRs) as follows:
- Emanuela Claudia Del Re has been appointed EUSR for the Sahel from 1 July 2021 until 30 August 2022. Ms. Del Re is an Italian national with a long academic career, having conducted extensive research in conflict areas in the Middle East, Central Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. She is a member of the Italian Parliament and she served as Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy.
- Terhi Hakala has been appointed EUSR for Central Asia from 1 July 2021 until 28 February 2023. Ms. Hakala is a Finnish career diplomat with extensive experience in the EU’s Eastern neighbourhood and Central Asia, including in the context of OSCE. She served in various diplomatic postings abroad, including at Ambassador level, among others in Russia, South and South-East Asia, and Geneva. She was most recently Ambassador of Hybrid Affairs, Technology and Security in the Foreign Ministry of Finland.
- Annette Weber has been appointed EUSR for the Horn of Africa from 1 July 2021 until 30 August 2022. Ms. Weber is a German national with over 25 years of experience in the region having facilitated peace talks at the highest political levels. She has an established track record of advising the UN, the EU and the German government on the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea region. She is also a speaker at the Munich Security Conference on regional issues.
Curriculum Vitae: Dr Annette Weber
Dr Annette Weber is a leading expert on the Horn of Africa with experience of more than 25 years in the region and has been advising German decision makers at the highest level. At the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP) she was Senior Fellow in the Africa and Middle East Research Division since 2007, serving as Head of Department from 2012-2014. She was engaged in mediation in Sudan and Ethiopia as Senior Advisor for the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (2019-2021) as well as the Berghof Foundation (2014- 2019). Before joining SWP, Annette Weber was Coordinator and Head of Office for the Ecumenical Network for the African Great Lakes region (2003-2006). From 1996-2003 she held several positions, including Head Researcher (Sudan, Somalia) with Amnesty International and Head of Mission for Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. Furthermore, she lectured as Professor in Conflict Studies, International Relations and African IR at various universities in Germany, Austria and Spain. From 2010-2012 she worked as a consultant in residence in Addis Ababa. She published extensively on peace and security in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea arena. In 2020, Dr Weber was chosen as Team Member for the UN Independent Assessment on International Support for Security of Somalia. Dr Weber was organiser, speaker, chair and advisor to several Horn of Africa and Red Sea Formats, including the Oslo Forum, Munich Security Conference, Tana High Level Forum and the Horn of Africa Security Dialogue. Annette Weber holds a PhD and MA in Political Science from the Free University of Berlin.