Spaniard takes on top role at Emirates Diplomatic Academy

ABU DHABI // The Emirates Diplomatic Academy has appointed a Spanish diplomat as its director general.

Bernardino Leon, whose most recent role was as the special representative of UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon to Libya, will start next month.

“The deep experience and understanding of global geopolitics that Mr Leon brings to EDA will be a rich resource for our new generation of diplomats,” said Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chairman of the Board of Trustees at the academy.

A career diplomat with more than 25 years of experience, Mr Leon has served as special representative for the European Union, secretary general at the office of the Spanish prime minister, and Sherpa – personal representative for head of state – at the G20 summits.

He brings a wealth of local knowledge to the position, as most of his career has been devoted to the Middle East.

Mr Leon’s background in Middle East mediation and peace negotiations include representing the EU in the Camp David accords between Egypt and Israel in the 1970s and the more recent Hebron and Wye River accords.