Permanent Representative of Belgium to the United Nations

H.E.Bénédicte Frankinet, is the currrent  Permanent Representative of Belgium to the United Nations. Before her appointment, Ms. Frankinet was Ambassador to Israel since 2008, after she previously served as Director for the United Nations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Brussels from 2003.From 1999 to 2003, Ms. Frankinet was Ambassador to Zimbabwe, accredited also to Mozambique, Malawi and Zambia.  Between 1994 and 1999, she served as Counsellor, then Deputy Head of Mission at her country’s Embassy in Paris. In 1992, Ms. Frankinet was an adviser in the private office of the Minister for Foreign Affairs, and from 1988 to 1992, she was First Secretary at Belgium’s Permanent Representation to the European Communities in Brussels.
She served a previous stint, between 1983 and 1988, at the New York Permanent Mission as First Secretary, and was an attaché in Brasilia from 1979 to 1983.Ms. Frankinet holds degrees in political science, social science and journalism from the Free University of Brussels.

Like Rotary international,Belgium is an important donor to the development programs of the UN-system. In 2005 Belgian contributions amounted to 184 million euro, or 12% of its total official development assistance. Belgium plays an active role in the executive boards of UNDP, UNICEF, UNFPA, UNIFEM and UNCDF, and in consultations between these funds and programmes and the major donor countries.
In its relationship with the funds and programs Belgium strongly emphasises the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals and of the 2005 Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness.
When funding programs of UNDP, UNICEF, UNFPA, UNIFEM and UNCDF, Belgium tries to concentrate on a limited number of themes it feels are essential for development, such as:

• support to subsidiary administration and local development;
• good governance, in particular the strengthening of parliaments and support of election processes; on March 14-15, 2007, Belgium will host an  "International Conference on Good Governance" in Brussels;
• the fight against the abuse of children and women, particularly in post-conflict zones.

(The above is from the Belgium Mission Website)