H.E. María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés

H.E. María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés

H.E. María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés is former President of the United Nations General Assembly, she served as the President of the United Nations General Assembly, becoming the fourth woman in history and the first from Latin America and the Caribbean to preside over this body. A scholar, diplomat and political leader, she has held several leadership positions in Ecuador serving as Minister of Foreign Affairs as well as of Defense, as also of Cultural and Natural Heritage. She was the first female Ambassador of Ecuador to the United Nations in New York and in Geneva. She is an expert in international affairs and multilateralism, defense and security, sustainable development, climate change, gender equality and indigenous peoples’ rights. She is also member of The Lancet COVID-19 Commission; Co-Chair of the Independent Commission on Multilateral Approaches to Pandemics, Security, and Sustainable Development – COMPASS – at the International Peace Institute; Councilor of the World Future Council; member of the multi-Stakeholder Steering Committee of the Generation Equality, the Beijing + 25 process and the Generation Equality Forum; member of the Political Advisory Panel of the Universal Health Coverage 2030 Movement, UHC2030; member and Executive Director of the Group of Women Leaders for Change and inclusion, GWL; member of the Strategic Committee of the SDSN Science Panel for the Amazon, SPA; member of the High-Level Advisory Council for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, UNAOC; and Founding Member of the Centre for UN Studies at the University of Buckingham. Excellency Espinosa acts as a Goodwill Ambassador for the Latin American and Caribbean Fund for the Development of the Indigenous Peoples, FILAC and for Common Home of Humanity.