United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced on Monday the appointment of Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert of the Netherlands as his new Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Office of the United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon (UNSCOL). She succeeds Joanna Wronecka of Poland, who held this position since 2021.
“Currently serving as the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Iraq and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (since 2018), Hennis-Plasschaert brings over 25 years of experience in diplomacy, international security and Middle East affairs to this position,” read the statement.
Prior to that, “She was Minister of Defense of the Netherlands (2012-2017)—the first woman to hold this position. She previously served as a member of the House of Representatives of the Netherlands (2010-2012) and as a member of the European Parliament (2004-2010). Hennis-Plasschaert has also worked for the European Commission in Belgium and Latvia, as well as for the City of Amsterdam and in the private sector,” the statement continued.
Hennis-Plasschaert is proficient in English, French and German and is a native Dutch speaker.
