Fitschen

Ambassador Dr. Thomas Fitschen is the Director for the United Nations, for international cooperation against terrorism and for cyber foreign policy at the Federal Foreign Office (since August 2015). Before coming back to Berlin he was Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative of the Federal Republic of Germany to the Office of the United Nations and the other International Organizations in Geneva (2012 - 2015). From October 2011 to July 2012 Dr. Fitschen was Faculty Member of the Geneva Center for Security Policy.

He is a lawyer by training (University of Kiel, Germany, 2nd State Exam 1989) and holds a doctorate in international law from the University of Saarbrücken. Dr. Fitschen joined the Federal Foreign Office in 1990.

Earlier posts include:

  • Head of the General Assembly Affairs Division (political and social issues) and Deputy Head of the Ministry's Task Force Rule of Law Promotion in Berlin (2008 - 2011);
  • Deputy Head of the Political Section and Legal Adviser to the German UN Mission in New York and delegate in the General Assembly's 6th (Legal) Committee (2005 – 2008, including during the German EU Presidency in 2007);
  • Deputy Head of the Task Force Global Issues at Headquarters (2001 – 2005);
  • Desk officer at the Division for International Cooperation against Organized Crime and Terrorism (1999 – 2001);
  • Head of the legal and consular section and political officer of the German Embassy in Manila, Phillippines, and Consul for Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia and the Marshall Islands (1996 – 1999);
  • Desk officer for social affairs and human rights issues at the German UN Mission in New York and Germany's delegate in the Third Committee of the General Assembly (1993 – 1996);
  • Desk officer at the Division for Public International Law of the Foreign Office in Bonn, covering issues such as the law of state succession, the peaceful settlement of disputes and the work of the International Law Commission (1991 - 1993).

Dr. Fitschen is a member of the German Society of International Law (DGIR), the European Society of International Law (ESIL) and the German United Nations Association (DGVN).

He publishes regularly on issues of international law, the United Nations and cultural heritage law.

Dr. Thomas
Fitschen
Director for the United Nations, International Cyber Policy and Counter-Terrorism, Federal Foreign Office of Germany

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