fR Worldwide Guide to Women in Leadership

FEMALE 
MINISTERS OF 
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
CURRENTLY IN OFFICE

Apart from the women who have been Foreign Ministers a large number of women have been deputy ministers. They can be found in the various country-entries in Women in governments by country also see Female Foreign Ministers


2006- Patricia Espinosa Cantellano, Mexico

Worked in various Mexican UN-representation in New York and Géneve from 1982 and also worked in the Ministry of External Relations. Ambassador to Germany Austria, Slovenia and Slovakia and Representative to various UN organisations in Vienna 2001-06.  (b. 1958-).


2008-  Carolyn Rodrigues, Guyana

Active in Amerindian Community Affairs for a number of years, 2001-08 Minister of Amerindian Affairs (in charge of the Native Americans in the Country). (b. 1974-).


2008- Maxine McClean, Barbados

Appointed Senator and Minister in the Prime Minister's Office and Leader of Government Business in the Senate in January 2008. From November 2008 also
Minister of Foreign Trade.


2008- Antonella Mularoni, San Marino

As Secretary of Foreign and Political Affairs she also functions as Leader of the Government even though the Captain Generals are both Heads of State and Government. She was Political Secretary to the Minister of Finance 1986-87, Director of the Office for relations with the associations of San Marino citizens living abroad 1987-90, Deputy Permanent Representative to the Council of Europe, 1989-90, Barrister and public notary in the Republic of San Marino 1991-2001, Member of the General Grand Council 1993-2001 and again from 2008, and Judge of the European Court of Human Rights 2001-08. (b. 1961-).


2009- Dr. Dipu Moni, Bangladesh

Secretary for Women’s Affairs of the Bangladesh Awami League. Married to Tawfique Nawaz, Senior Advocates of the Supreme Court and mother of 1 son.


2009- Hilary Rodham Clinton, United States of America

Politically Influential when her husband, Bill Clinton, was governor of Arkansas 1979-81 and 1983-1992 and President of USA 1993-2001, Senator for New York since 2001, Candidate in the Democratic Party Primary 2007-08 and designated to become Secretary of State in 2009. (b. 1947-).


2009- Aurelia Frick, Liechtenstein

Business women, executive director and entrepreneur. Also Government Councillor of Culture and Justice. (b. 1975-).


2009- Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, South Africa

Before becoming Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, she was Member of the Executive Council for Housing and Local Government in the Limpopo Province.

2009- Naha Mint Mouknass, Mauritania

The second woman in the Arab world to be head of  a political party UDP, Uunion des forces du progrès, since 2000 and Minister-Advisor at the Presidency 2001-05.


2009- Louise Mushikiwabo, Rwanda

2008-09 Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister charged with Information.


2010- Baroness Ashton of Upholland, the European Union

Catherine Ashton has been a Baroness from 1999, British Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State of  Education and Skills 2001-04, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of Constitutional Affairs 2004-06 and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 2006-07, Leader of the House of Lords and Lord President of the Council 2007-08, EU-Commissioner for Trade from 2008-10 and Vice-President of the EU-Commission and High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy(b. 1956-).


2010- María Ángela Holguín-Cuéllar, Colombia

Angela Holguin was Chief of Cabinet, Secretary General of the Ministry of External Affairs, 1996-97, Vice-Minister of External Relations in 1998, Ambassador to Venezuela 2002-04 and Ambassador to the United Nations 2004-06. She was offered the post of Ambassador to France in 2006 but refused.


2011- Hina Rabbani Khar, Pakistan

PPP MP from 2002, Minister of State of Economic Affairs 2004-07 Minister of State of Finance and Economic Affairs 2009-11 and Minister of State of Foreign Affairs in charge of the Ministry in 2011 and Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2011. (1977-).


2011- Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis, Cyprus

Worked in the UN Mission 1980-88 before returning to the Foreign Office, Ambassador to Sweden, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania and Norway 1996-98, Ambassador to USA, Argentina, Brazil, Bahamas, Barbados, Canada, Chile, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Lucia, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Uruguay 1998-2003, Director of the Cyprus Question and EU-Turkey Affairs Division at the Foreign Ministry from 2003, Non-resident Ambassador to Jordan 2003-2007 and Foreign Minister 2007-08. (b. 1949-).


2011- Vesna Pusić, Croatia

Also Minister of European Affairs . She was chairperson of Croatian of Narodna Stranka 2000-05 and of the Narodna Stranka-Liberalni Demokrati 2005-08, Vice-President of the Sabor 2003-04 and Presidential Candidate in 2009 and Foreign Minister from 2011. (b. 1953-)


Last update 25.12.11

Back to homepage