Virginia Gamba

Virginia Gamba de Potgieter (born 1954) is an Argentinian diplomat who served as United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres's Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict from 2017 to 2025.

Education Born in San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina, Gamba was educated in Bolivia, Peru, Switzerland, Spain, and the United Kingdom. She holds a Master of Science degree in strategic studies from the University College of Wales and a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and American studies from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne. In 1998, she was also head of the Small Arms Programme at the Institute for Security Studies in South Africa.

From 2001 to 2007, Gamba was director of South–South Interactions at SaferAfrica. Concurrently, from December 2024 to June 2025, she held the position of Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Prevention of Genocide and Hate Speech on an acting basis.

In May 2023, it became known that Gamba met with Mariya Lvova-Belova, who is wanted by the Hague Tribunal for mass abductions of children during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. This meeting provoked harsh reactions from various human rights groups and the U.S. government.

On 11 March 2026, Gamba was nominated by the Maldives to become the next Secretary-General of the United Nations upon the end of António Guterres's term in 2026, but her candidacy was withdrawn two weeks later.

Other activities Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children, Member of the Board

Recognition Gamba shared the Nobel Peace Prize as formal member of the executive board of the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs (1995) with Joseph Rotblat. She served on the Pugwash board from 1985 to 1996.