International Negotiation in a Fragmented World: UN Pact for the Future

Description

Please join the SAIS Governance, Politics, and Society focus area co-leads and SAIS Professor Elayne Whyte for a fireside chat with:

H.E. Antje Leendertse, ambassador and permanent representative of the Federal Republic of Germany to the UN, and H.E. Neville Melvin Gertze, ambassador and permanent representative of the Republic of Namibia to the UN, co-facilitators of the UN Summit of the Future.

The ambassadors will reflect on their invaluable experience facilitating the negotiation of the Pact for the Future, discuss key trends shaping global dialogue, and explore the aspirations and implementation of the pact.

Their insights into the negotiation process and the broader challenges of multilateral decision-making will provide a unique and timely perspective during this crucial moment in global governance.

Dean Jim Steinberg will deliver opening remarks. Lunch will be provided from 1 to 2 p.m.

About the speakers

H.E. Antje Leendertse is the permanent representative of the Federal Republic of Germany to the UN. She took up this appointment in 2021. Prior to this appointment, Leendertse was the state secretary of the Federal Foreign Office (FFO) in Berlin from 2019 to 2021. She also served as the political director of the FFO in 2018-2019. In 2017-2018, she served as the ambassador and permanent representative of Germany to the UN and other international organizations in Geneva. From 2015 to 2017, she led the task force for the 2016 Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Chairmanship. During her long career with the FFO, she also served as the federal government commissioner for disarmament and arms control (2014–15), the director for Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and central Asia (2012–14), and head of the division for the western Balkans (2009–12). Leendertse joined the FFO in 1990. She was awarded an MA degree in medieval and modern history, romance languages, economics, and philosophy from the University of Cologne in 1989. She was born in Moers, Germany, on March 7, 1963. She is married and has one daughter.

H.E. Neville Melvin Gertze is the permanent representative of Namibia to the International Seabed Authority (ISA) and to the UN. Gertz is a career diplomat with over 30 years of experience. He has been the permanent representative of Namibia to the UN in New York since 2016 and became permanent representative to ISA in May 2021. Prior to this assignment, Gertze served as chief of protocol of the Republic of Namibia (2015–16) after serving as ambassador of Namibia to Germany, the Holy See, Poland, and Turkey (2009–15) and to the Philippines and Thailand (2008). Gertze also served as high commissioner to Malaysia (2003–08) and as commercial counsellor to South Africa (1997–2003). Gertze holds a bachelor's degree in public administration and political science from the University of Cape Town and a master's degree in business administration from Midrand Graduate Institute in Johannesburg, South Africa.