John Baird: Canada's freedom agenda - Diplomat Magazine

DIGNITARIES|NEW ARRIVALSNew heads of missionAgostinho Tavares da Silva NetoAmbassador of AngolaMr. Tavares da SilvaNeto joined Angola’sforeign ministry in1977 after completingstudies at the KarlMarx Institute in Luanda.Much later, hewould also complete adegree in international relations at theUniversity of Brasilia.But before that, he held several governmentalpositions. In 1982, he was head ofthe department of human resources in thesecretary of state for cooperation. In 1987,he was sent to Spain, on his first foreignposting, as an administrative attaché. In1997, he moved on to India, where heserved as third secretary before returningto headquarters in 2000 as head of the Asiaand Oceania department.From 2000 to 2005, he served as firstsecretary, and later counselor, at the embassyin Brazil before returning to his formerjob at headquarters (head of the Asiaand Oceania department).Mr. Tavares da Silva Neto speaks Portuguese,Spanish and English. He is marriedto Prudence de Sousa Carneiro da Silvaand has five children.Oscar Mauricio Duarte GranadosAmbassador of El SalvadorMr. Duarte Granadosis an academic whocame to diplomacylater in his career. Aftercompleting studies atthe Karl Marx Instituteof Economics in Bulgaria,he completed amaster’s degree in law and social sciencesin 2000. A few years later, he received amaster’s in human rights and educationfor peace.Mr. Duarte Granados began his teachingcareer at the University of El Salvadorin 1993. He became deputy dean of theschool of law and social sciences in 2003,a position he kept until 2011. In 2003, healso became a member for the council ofUniversity of El Salvador and a member ofthe board of directors of the school of lawand social sciences. He has representedthe University at the Central Americancouncil for integration and has worked,since 2004, as a member of the examinationboard for international relations at theuniversity. Between 1998 and 2001, he wasa coordinator of assistance for refugeesand victims of Tornado Mitch in Usulutan,El Salvador.Mr. Duarte Granados is married. Hespeaks Bulgarian, English, basic Macedonianand Spanish.Nam Joo-hongAmbassador of KoreaMr. Joo-hong comesto diplomacy throughacademia. He has abachelor’s degree inpolitical science and internationalrelationsfrom Konkuk Universityin Seoul, a master’sin strategic studies from the University ofAberdeen in the UK and a PhD in politicalscience and international relations from theLondon School of Economics.He began his career as a research fellowat Harvard University’s centre for internationalaffairs, and then became a professorat the National Defence College. He thenworked as a special adviser in charge ofsecurity and unification at the nationalsecurity planning agency and as deputysecretary-general of the national unificationadvisory council. He then became aprofessor at Kyonggi University’s graduateschool of unification and security andlater at the same university’s graduateschool of politics and policy. He addedthe title of dean of that school in 2003.Between 2007 and 2008, he was a senioradviser to the 17th presidential transitioncommittee and became ambassador forinternational security affairs at the Koreanministry of foreign affairs and trade in2010.Mr. Joo-hong is married with a son anda daughter.Leslie B. GatanAmbassador of the PhilippinesMr. Gatan is a careerdiplomat who joinedthe service in 1983, inthe office of the UnitedNations and other internationalorganizations.He spent threeyears in that job beforebeing posted to Sri Lanka as third secretaryand vice-consul. After that, he wasposted for five years to Switzerland as firstsecretary and consul after which he returnedto headquarters and became directorof ASEAN affairs. His next posting, asminister-counsellor, was to Thailand,where he spent two years before beingsent to Italy as counsellor and consul for ayear and then to Belgium as minister foranother year.Back at headquarters, Mr. Gatan spenta year as special assistant in the office ofthe undersecretary for policy before beingsent to the United Nations in New Yorkfor six years, first as minister and thenas deputy permanent representative. Hethen returned to headquarters as assistantsecretary of the office of the UN and otherinternational organizations.He has a bachelor of arts in politicalscience, a bachelor of business managementand a masters in urban and regionalplanning. He is married to Lydia DebbieMijares.Ulrich LehnerAmbassador of SwitzerlandCanada isn’t new forMr. Lehner, a careerdiplomat who wrotethe Swiss foreign serviceexam in 1981 andjoined soon after. Partof his early educationtook place in Sion, hisbirthplace and then, for a time, in Torontobefore he moved on to study in Geneva.He has a degree in economic and socialscience from the University of Geneva anda post-graduate diploma in security policystudies.His first posting, for one year, was toPortugal as an attaché. He then spent ayear as third secretary at the embassy inBrazil before being sent as second secretaryto the embassy in Norway. He returnedto headquarters as an officer in thepolicy planning branch and later headedthe office for peace policy.In 1991, he went to Rome as counselorfor four years and then followed that upwith four years at the embassy in Egypt.From 1998 to 2002, he was director of theGeneva Centre for Security Policy andfrom 2004 to 2007, he headed the politicaldivision responsible for internationalorganizations. Prior to coming to Canada,he served for four years as ambassador toFrance and Monaco. In Canada, he’s duallyaccredited to Bahamas.Mr. Lehner is married to FedericaLehner Timbal, and has two children. Hespeaks French, German, English, Italianand Portuguese.80 WINTER 2012 | JAN-FEB-MAR