UN: New Permanent Representative of East Timor in Geneva

February 9, 2009 Monday NEW PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF TIMOR-LESTE PRESENTS CREDENTIALS TO DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF UNOG GENEVA, Switzerland

The following information was released by the United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG):

Joaquim A.M.L. da Fonseca, the new Permanent Representative of Timor-Leste to the United Nations Office at Geneva, today presented his credentials to Sergei Ordzhonikidze, the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva.

Prior to his appointment to Geneva, Mr. da Fonseca had been serving as the Civil Society Adviser at the Office of the Prime Minister since November 2007. From September 2006 to November 2007, he was the Human Rights Adviser in the same office. From June 2004 to July 2006, he was the Human Rights Liaison Officer and Report Drafter at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

From January 2004 to February 2004, Mr. da Fonseca served as the Advisor on Public Consultation at the Commission for the Former Combatants and the Commission for the Veterans of Falintil. From February 2001 to January 2003, he was Head of the Policy Advocacy Division at the Yayasan Hak Foundation for Law, Human Rights and Justice, prior to which, from April 1999 to February 2001, he was the Head of the Human Rights Advocacy Division at the Foundation.

Mr. da Fonseca holds an MSc in management of non-governmental organizations from the London School of Economics and Political Science (2002-2003), and has participated in numerous professional training courses and international human rights conferences.

For use of the information media; not an official record