UNIS/BIO/901
24 November 2009

New Permanent Representative of Iceland Presents Credentials

VIENNA, 24 November (UN Information Service) - The new Permanent Representative of Iceland to the United Nations (Vienna), Stefan Skjaldarson, presented today his credentials to the Deputy Director-General of the United Nations Office at Vienna (UNOV), Mazlan Othman.

Mr. Skjaldarson has served in many capacities in the course of his career, among them: Ambassador, Department of European Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (since 2008), Chair, European Economic Area (EEA)/European Free Trade Association (EFTA) Subcommittees II, III, IV (since 2008), Ambassador to Norway (from 2003) as well as Ambassador of Iceland residing in Oslo, Norway, to Iran (from 2004), Kuwait (2004-07), Macedonia (2004-08), Cyprus (2005-07) and Egypt (2007-08), and Ambassador of Iceland (agrée) residing in Oslo, Norway, to Algeria (from 2003), Saudi Arabia (from 2003), Oman (from 2007), Pakistan (from 2007), United Arab Emirates (from 2007) and Yemen (from 2007); Political Director, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (from 2001), Director, Department of Administration and Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (from 1999), Minister Counsellor and Chargé d'Affaires a.i., Embassy in Oslo, Norway (from 1998), Counsellor, Embassy in Oslo, Norway (from 1995), Counsellor, Political Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (from 1994), Special Consultant, Department of Administration and Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (from 1993), Special Consultant, Defence Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (from 1992), and Consultant and Senior Budget Analyst, Budget Department, Ministry of Finance (from 1987).

Mr. Skjaldarson graduated at the University of Oslo in Political Science and holds a Teachers Training Certificate from the University of Oslo.

Mr. Skjaldarson speaks Danish, English, Icelandic, German, Norwegian, Spanish and Swedish.

He is married and has two children.

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