Koen Vervaeke

Managing Director for Africa, European External Action Service

Koen Vervaeke has been appointed Managing Director for Africa, since January 2016.

He was Director responsible for the coherence of EU External Action in Eastern and Southern Africa from November 2011 to December 2015.

He has also been appointed Senior EU Coordinator for the Great Lakes region, working closely with the EU Delegations and the European Commission and EU member states to advance our objectives of peace and prosperity in the region as a whole, and stabilisation and reconstruction in the areas most affected by conflict.

Between December 2007 and October 2011, he was the first ever EU Special Representative to the African Union and the Head of Delegation of the European Commission Delegation to the AU in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Ambassador Vervaeke's appointment reflected the common will of the Council of the European Union and the European Commission to combine all instruments of the EU and thereby ensure a coherent approach towards Africa, at all levels.

Mr Vervaeke, a Belgian diplomat, held previously a post as Head of Africa within the Policy Unit of Javier Solana, High Representative for the EU Common Foreign and Security Policy. For the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he performed as Ambassador, Special envoy for the Great Lakes Region, Spokesman of the Ministry and held postings in Geneva (UN), Bujumbura and Tunis. Mr Vervaeke is married and father of four children. He has a Master in modern history and art history (Catholic University Leuven).

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Event

Bruegel Annual Meetings 2019

Bruegel's 2019 Annual Meetings will be held on 4-5 September and feature the launch of Bruegel's Memos to the New European Commission.