Natalia Gherman

Natalia Gherman ( Snegur; born 20 March 1969) is a Moldovan politician who has been serving as executive director of the United Nations' Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate since 2023.

Gherman served as minister of foreign affairs and European integration and Deputy Prime Minister of Moldova from May 2013 to January 2016. She later served as special representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Central Asia (UNRCCA) from 2017 to 2023.

Born in Chișinău in 1969, Gherman is the daughter of Mircea Snegur, the first president of Moldova. She studied at the Moldova State University and completed postgraduate studies at King's College London. She joined the Moldovan diplomatic service, working in several different places before eventually becoming ambassador to Austria and permanent representative to the OSCE from 2002 to 2006, and ambassador to Sweden, Norway and Finland from 2006 to 2009.

In 2009, Gherman became Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration and Chief Negotiator on the Moldova–European Union Association Agreement, serving until 2013. In 2013 she became minister of foreign affairs and European Integration and Deputy Prime Minister of Moldova, serving until January 2016. From June to July 2015, following Chiril Gaburici's resignation, she served as the acting prime minister of Moldova.

In February 2016, Gherman was nominated as Moldova's candidate for Secretary-General of the United Nations in the 2016 selection process for Ban Ki-moon's successor.

Early life and education Gherman was born in 1969 in Chișinău, then part of the Soviet Union but now part of independent Moldova. She is the daughter of Mircea Snegur, who served as the first president of Moldova from 1991 to 1997, and Georgeta Snegur. For her undergraduate education, she received a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree from the Moldova State University. In 1999, she completed a Master of Arts (MA) postgraduate degree in war studies at King's College London.

Political career On 29 June 2009, she was appointed as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, to then-Minister Andrei Stratan. In November 2009, she was appointed as the Chief Negotiator in the talks with the European Union over the Moldova–European Union Association Agreement. She also assisted in the talks that led to the liberalization of the visa requirements for Moldovans travelling to the EU. As Deputy Prime Minister, Iurie Roșca supported Gherman.

On 30 May 2013, she was appointed as the full minister of foreign affairs and European integration, whilst concurrently being appointed to the role of Deputy Prime Minister of Moldova. She was also responsible for chairing the National Committee for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings. In this role, she participated in the Global Forum on Migration and Development and contributed to the 'High-Level Dialogue on International Migration and Development'. Also in 2014, she was awarded Moldova's highest national honour, the Order of the Republic.

Gherman took part in an informal dialogue at the United Nations General Assembly on 13 April 2016, where she claimed the "United Nations has never been so necessary." In total, she spoke for over two hours, in what the campaign group 1 for 7 Billion called a "historic breakthrough and the additional transparency and scrutiny that comes with it." As part of her campaign to become secretary-general, she has spoken at events or in interviews at the International Peace Institute, Royal United Services Institute, Kennan Institute, London School of Economics and King's College London. As a candidate, she is also supported by the Campaign to Elect a Woman UN Secretary-General.

On the topic of sexual exploitation and abuse by UN peacekeepers, Gherman was asked multiple times about this problem during the United Nations informal dialogues. She stated that the report given by the panel that oversees peacekeeping should be closely reviewed and analyzed. She also stated that member states need to ensure the immediate persecution of peacekeepers who commit such crimes, as their actions tarnish the UN's image. She also said that member states needed to ensure that troops are well trained and held responsible in the case of abuse. Commander 1st Class of the Order of the Polar Star (2010, Sweden) Jubilee Medal "25 Years of Neutrality of Turkmenistan" (2020, Turkmenistan)