(Credits: Enzo Barracco, Photographer and Climate Artist)
MAURIZIO MASSARI
(X account here)
Ambassador, career diplomat with over fourty years of experience, Maurizio Massari is the Permanent Representative of Italy to the United Nations in New York.
He is Vice-President of the 79th UN General Assembly and, since December 2023, a member of the Advisory Group of the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) established by the UN Assembly General in the framework of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), with a three year mandate. In June 2025 he was elected by acclamation Chair of the UN First Committee, competent for disarmament issues, starting from September 2025 to September 2026 (80th Session of the UN General Assembly).
He has served as Vice President of the UN Economic and Social Council – ECOSOC (July 2022 – July 2023) and as Vice-President of UN Women’s Executive Board, the major UN women rights agency (2023). As of 2021, he is an “International Gender Champion“. He has also served as the Permanent Representative of Italy to the European Union (June 2016 – May 2021), and as Special Envoy of the Italian Foreign Minister for the Mediterranean and the Middle East (2012-2013).
In 2024 the President of the Italian Republic appointed him Grand Officer of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
- Serving in the Italian Diplomatic Service since 1985;
- Promoted to the rank of Ambassador on January 20, 2015.
Postings abroad:
- Brussels (June 2016 – May 2021) Permanent Representative of Italy to the European Union;
- Cairo (February 2013) Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Italy to Egypt;
- Belgrade (January 2003) Ambassador, OSCE (Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe) Chief of Mission in Serbia and Montenegro;
- Washington (July 1998 – June 2001) First Political Counsellor at the Italian Embassy, dealing, in particular, with US policies toward Russia and the former Soviet Union, Central and Eastern Europe, and the Western Balkans. Responsible for the Embassy’s relations with U.S. think tanks and universities;
- London (July 1990 – June 1994) Deputy Head of the Economic and Commercial Section of the Italian Embassy, dealing with economic bilateral and multilateral issues and EU policies;
- Moscow (November 1986 – July 1990) Head of the Press and Soviet Domestic Policy Section at the Italian Embassy, dealing with Russian and Western Press and reporting to the Italian government on Russian and Soviet political developments;
Assignments at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation:
- (January 2012 – February 2013) Special Envoy of the Foreign Minister for the Mediterranean and the Middle East;
- (2009 – January 2012) Head of the Press Department and Spokesperson;
- (2007 – 2008) Head of the Policy Analysis and Planning Unit, Co-Chair of the Strategic Reflection Group with Marta Dassù with whom he co-authored, “Italy 2020 Report. Foreign Policy Choices”;
- (June 2001 – December 2002) Head of the Western Balkans Department, responsible for Italy’s policy toward the countries of the Former Yugoslavia and Albania;
- (June 1996 – August 1997) Deputy Coordinator of EU Affairs in the Economic Directorate. Member of Italy’s Special Delegation working on the Inter-Governmental Conference leading to the Amsterdam Treaty
- (June 1994 – June 1996) Head of Cabinet of the Deputy Foreign Minister;
- (February 1985 – November 1986) Deputy Head of the Department of the Economic Directorate, responsible for bilateral economic relations with Western Europe, Canada and the U.S..
EDUCATION
- Master’s Degree in International Public Policy (2001) – Johns Hopkins University, Washington D.C. An abstract of the degree thesis is published on the International Spectator with the title, “US Foreign Policy Decision-Making during the Clinton Administration”;
- Fellowship’s Certificate (1998) – Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA.;
- Degree in Political Science (1982) – Istituto Universitario Orientale, Naples with specialization in Eastern European Affairs.
PUBLICATIONS AND SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
- Published books in Italian on Political Reforms under Gorbachev (La Grande Svolta: Le Riforme Politiche in Unione Sovietica 1986-1990) and on post-Communist Russia (Russia: democrazia europea o potenza globale, 2009);
- Articles and essays, in Italian and English, on Russia’s foreign policy and internal political developments; on EU and US foreign policy; and on the Western Balkans;
- He has been frequently invited to participate in talks, seminars and lectures at international conferences, research institutions and universities In Italy, Europe and the United States.
LANGUAGES
- Fluent in Italian, English and French; good knowledge of Russian and elementary German.