Mr. Nickolay Mladenov of Bulgaria was appointed by the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as his Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process and his Personal Representative to the Palestine Liberation Organisation and the Palestinian Authority in February 2015. In this capacity, Mr. Mladenov represents the Secretary-General and leads the United Nations system in all political and diplomatic efforts related to the peace process, including in the Middle East Quartet. He also coordinates the humanitarian and development work of UN agencies and programmes in the occupied Palestinian territory, in support of the Palestinian Authority and the Palestinian people.

Mr. Mladenov brings with him extensive experience in public service and international affairs. In his last posting, he served as United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Iraq and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI).

He served as Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria from 2010 to 2013 and Minister of Defence of Bulgaria from 2009 to 2010. 

Previously, he was a Member of the European Parliament from 2007 to 2009 and a Member of the Parliament of Bulgaria from 2001 to 2005.  Mr. Mladenov held several positions in the inter-governmental and non-governmental sectors, including at the World Bank and the European Institute in Sofia.

Mr. Mladenov earned a Master of Arts in War Studies at King’s College London, in the United Kingdom, and both a master’s and a bachelor’s degree in international relations at the University of National and World Economy of Sofia, in Bulgaria.