Estonia’s former ambassador to the UK Tiina Intelmann is now leading the European Union embassy in Somalia. Intelmann is the third Estonian to lead an EU foreign embassy.
“The EU in cooperation with the UN and the African Union is leading the project of strengthening the national structures and internal security in Somalia helping the country fight against pirating and terrorism,” Intelamnn said. “The EU is an important donor for Somalia in development cooperation and humanitarian aid.”
Somalia is in the Eastern part of Africa and located on strategically important sea and cargo routes. There are three EU’s security and defense missions in the country.
From 2014-2017, Intelmann was the leader of the EU’s delegation in Liberia and she has worked at the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs since 1991.
From 1999 to 2002, she was the permanent representative of the European Security and Cooperation Organization in Vienna. From 2005-2011, she was a representative at the UN.
Other Estonian diplomats to lead EU Representations are Matti Maasikas, EU Ambassador in Ukraine, and Riina Kionka who was appointed EU Ambassador in South Africa in 2019.
Previously, Aivo Orav served as the EU Ambassador to Northern Macedonia in 2012–2016. He is currently the head of the Estonian Mission to the European Union.
