Mandate Extended for Lars Gunnar Wigemark

The Council of the European Union has extended the mandates of six EU special representatives, including the mandate of the head of the EU delegation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Lars Gunnar Wigemark.

His mandate has been extended for 14 months and will last until 31 August 2019. Wigemark was first appointed to this position on 1 March 2015.

The mandate of the High Representative for Kosovo, Nataliya Apostolova, has also been extended until 29 February 2020. She was appointed to this position on 4 August 2016.

Other representatives whose mandates have been extended are Peter Burian for Central Asia, until 29 February 2020; Alexander Rondos for the Horn of Africa, until 29 February 2020; and Angel Losada Fernandez for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia, until 29 February 2020.

EU Special Representatives aim to promote the policies and interests of the European Union in specific regions and countries, as well as to represent certain positions of importance to the EU.

- They play an active role in efforts to strengthen peace, stability and the rule of law. The first EU Special Representatives were appointed in 1996. Currently, eight EU Special Representatives support the work of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini. These are the six mentioned representatives, as well as the Special Representatives for Human Rights and for the Middle East Peace Process - the statement said.