News item | 22-12-2023 | 2:31 PM
At the proposal of Minister Bruins Slot of Foreign Affairs, the Council of Ministers has approved 27 ambassadorial appointments. These are only final once the host countries have given their approval. The appointments will take effect from next summer.
The Council of Ministers agreed to the appointment of ambassadors to the following posts:
- Algeria, based in Algiers: Anneke Luwema, now Ambassador Yangon
- Armenia, based in Yerevan: Marieke Monroy-Winter, now Deputy Ambassador Tel Aviv
- Canada, based in Ottawa: Margriet Vonno, now inspector director of Inspection, Signaling and Guidance (ISB)
- Cyprus, based in Nicosia: Wouter Plomp, now ambassador Abuja
- Germany, based in Berlin: Hester Somsen, now Deputy National Coordinator for Counterterrorism and Security, also Director of Cybersecurity, Resilience, State Threats and Economic Security at the Ministry of Justice and Security
- Estonia, based in Tallinn: Sander van der Sluis, now Cluster Head of EU Defense Policy (secondment to the Ministry of Defense)
- Ethiopia, based in Addis Ababa: Christine Pirenne, now Ambassador San José
- Indonesia, based in Jakarta: Marc Gerritsen, now director of the North Africa and Middle East Directorate (DAM)
- Iraq, based in Baghdad: Janet Alberda, now Ambassador Riyadh
- Iran, based in Tehran: Emiel de Bont, now charge d’affaires for Afghanistan
- Japan, based in Tokyo: Gilles Beschoor Plug, now ambassador to Moscow
- Kenya, based in Nairobi: Henk Jan Bakker, now Ambassador Addis Ababa
- Lebanon, based in Beirut: Frank Mollen, now ambassador to Tehran
- Luxembourg, based in Luxembourg: Carin Lobbezoo, now Ambassador Pristina
- Morocco, based in Rabat: Dirk-Jan Nieuwenhuis, now director of the General Directorate of Consular and Visa Affairs (HDCV)
- Niger, based in Niamey: Jaap Jan Speelman, now deputy ambassador to Ottawa
- Nigeria, based in Abuja: Bengt van Loosdrecht, now Ambassador Stockholm
- North Macedonia, based in Skopje: Özlem Canel, now Ambassador Tallinn
- Norway, based in Oslo: Ines Coppoolse, now Ambassador to Ottawa
- Ukraine, based in Kiev: Alle Dorhout, now Director of Intelligence at the General Intelligence and Security Service (secondment AIVD)
- Poland, based in Warsaw: Jennes de Mol, now Ambassador Kiev
- Russia, based in Moscow: Joanneke Balfoort, now Director of Security and Defense Policy at the European External Action Service (EEAS)
- Saudi Arabia, based in Riyadh: Hans Peter van der Woude, now Ambassador Beirut
- Serbia, based in Belgrade: Martijn Elgersma, now deputy ambassador to Moscow
- Uganda, based in Kampala: Frederieke Quispel, now Head of Multilateral Organizations and Human Rights/Human Rights and Political and Legal Affairs (DMM/MP)
- United Kingdom, based in London: Paul Huijts, now Secretary General
- Sweden, based in Stockholm: Joost Reintjes, now Ambassador Belgrade
The Council of Ministers also agreed to the appointment of 2 permanent representatives to international organizations:
- PV EU, based in Brussels: Pieter Jan Kleiweg de Zwaan, now ambassador to Brussels
- PV UN, based in New York: Lise Gregoire-van Haaren, now director of the European Integration Directorate (DIE)