Gérard Araud
| Gérard Araud | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Ambassador of France to the United States | |
|
Assumed office September 2014 | |
| President | François Hollande |
| Preceded by | François Delattre |
| Permanent Representative of France to the United Nations | |
|
In office 2009–2014 | |
| President |
Nicolas Sarkozy François Hollande |
| Secretary-General | Ban Ki-moon |
| Preceded by | Jean-Maurice Ripert |
| Succeeded by | François Delattre |
| Ambassador of France to Israel | |
|
In office 2003–2006 | |
| President | Jacques Chirac |
| Preceded by | Jacques Gabriel Huntzinger |
| Succeeded by | Jean-Michel Casa |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
February 20, 1953 Marseille, France |
| Alma mater |
École polytechnique École nationale de la statistique et de l'administration économique Institut d'études politiques de Paris École nationale d'administration |
| Profession | diplomat |
Gérard Araud (born February 20, 1953) is the ambassador of France to the United States. Before that he was Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Director General for Political and Security Affairs of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development.
Early life and education
Gérard Araud was born in Marseille.[1] He holds engineering degrees from the École polytechnique and the École nationale de la statistique et de l'administration économique. Then he graduated from the Institut d'études politiques de Paris. He is also an alumnus of the École nationale d'administration (class of 1982).
Career
His first posting was at the embassy of France in Tel Aviv as First Secretary, from 1982 to 1984. He was then assigned to Paris, at the Analysis and Policy Planning Staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs where he was responsible for Middle East issues. From 1987 to 1991 he was Counselor at the Embassy of France in Washington, where he was also responsible for Middle East issues. He was Assistant Director of European Community Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 1991 to 1993 and became Diplomatic Advisor to the French Minister of Defense François Léotard in 1993.
Araud joined the French delegation to the North Atlantic Council (NATO) in Brussels in 1995 as Deputy Permanent Representative. He became Director for Strategic Affairs, Security and Disarmament at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2000. He was Ambassador of France to Israel from 2003 to 2006.[2]
In September 2006, Araud was appointed Director General for Political Affairs and Security, Deputy Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. On July 15, 2009, he was appointed Permanent Representative of France to the Security Council and Head of the Permanent Mission of France to the United Nations. He presented his credentials to Ban Ki-moon, United Nations Secretary-General, on 10 September 10, 2009.[3] He served as the President of the Security Council in February 2010, May 2011, August 2012 and December 2013.
On July 23, 2014 Gérard Araud was appointed Ambassador of France to the United States by presidential decree.[4]
Personal life
He is openly gay.[1] His long-time partner is photographer Pascal Blondeau.[1] Araud supports right of same-sex marriage, but does not want to get married.[1]
References
- 1 2 3 4 Stephanie Green, Don’t Call Him the Gay Ambassador: Gérard Araud, France’s Head Envoy to the U.S., Wants to Bring Diplomacy into the 21st Century, Vogue, November 6, 2014
- ↑ Official biography on the website of the Embassy of France in the United Nations
- ↑ «New Permanent Representative of France Presents Credentials», Communiqué of the UN Department of Public Information, September 10, 2009
- ↑ Official decree on Légifrance, official website of the French government for the publication of legislation, regulations, and legal information.
External links
- Website of the Embassy of France in the United States of America
- Website of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development
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