María Fernanda Espinosa

María Fernanda Espinosa, born on September seventh, nineteen sixty-four, is a distinguished Ecuadorian poet, diplomat, writer, and politician. Currently, she serves as the Executive Director of GWL Voices, an NGO committed to fostering a gender-equal multilateral system. Her extensive career in diplomacy and environmental advocacy has made her a prominent figure in both national and international arenas.

Espinosa's journey in public service began with her role as an advisor on biodiversity and indigenous peoples from nineteen ninety-nine to two thousand five. She later became the regional director for South America at the International Union for Conservation of Nature from two thousand five to two thousand seven, where she championed sustainable development and conservation efforts.

Her political career includes two terms as Ecuador's Minister of Foreign Affairs, first from two thousand seven to two thousand eight and again from two thousand seventeen to two thousand eighteen. Additionally, she held the position of ambassador and permanent representative to the United Nations in both New York and Geneva during her tenure from two thousand eight to two thousand nine and two thousand fourteen to two thousand seventeen, respectively. Notably, she served as Ecuador's Minister of National Defense from two thousand twelve to two thousand fourteen.

In June two thousand eighteen, Espinosa made history by being elected President of the United Nations General Assembly for its seventy-third session, becoming the fourth woman to hold this prestigious position in the organization's seventy-three-year history. Beyond her political achievements, she is also recognized for her contributions to literature as a poet and essayist, enriching the cultural landscape of Ecuador and beyond.