David J. Cooney
Encyclopedia
David J. Cooney is an Irish diplomat
.
Born in London
, on 29 April 1954, he holds a BA
in Politics and History from Keele University
, and has held a number of senior diplomatic posts. From 1974 until 1979 he worked in the Department of Agriculture. Since then he has worked for the Foreign Ministry. He assisted in the talks leading to the Belfast Agreement
, being named by George Mitchell
as one of the two "unsung heroes of the peace process". He has also served as Ambassador
to the United Nations
, and most recently the United Kingdom
. In December 2008 it was announced that Cooney would become Secretary-General at the Department of Foreign Affairs in January 2009, replacing Dermot Gallagher
.
In 2009 Cooney received an honorary doctorate from Keele University.
Diplomacy
Diplomacy is the art and practice of conducting negotiations between representatives of groups or states...
.
Born in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, on 29 April 1954, he holds a BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in Politics and History from Keele University
Keele University
Keele University is a campus university near Newcastle-under-Lyme in Staffordshire, England. Founded in 1949 as an experimental college dedicated to a broad curriculum and interdisciplinary study, Keele is most notable for pioneering the dual honours degree in Britain...
, and has held a number of senior diplomatic posts. From 1974 until 1979 he worked in the Department of Agriculture. Since then he has worked for the Foreign Ministry. He assisted in the talks leading to the Belfast Agreement
Belfast Agreement
The Good Friday Agreement or Belfast Agreement , sometimes called the Stormont Agreement, was a major political development in the Northern Ireland peace process...
, being named by George Mitchell
George J. Mitchell
George John Mitchell, Jr., is the former U.S. Special Envoy for Middle East Peace under the Obama administration. A Democrat, Mitchell was a United States Senator who served as the Senate Majority Leader from 1989 to 1995...
as one of the two "unsung heroes of the peace process". He has also served as Ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
to the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
, and most recently the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. In December 2008 it was announced that Cooney would become Secretary-General at the Department of Foreign Affairs in January 2009, replacing Dermot Gallagher
Dermot Gallagher (civil servant)
Dermot Anthony Gallagher is an Irish civil servant and the former Secretary General of the Department of Foreign Affairs. He left office as Secretary-General on 24 January 2009 and was replaced by David Cooney, former Ambassador to the United Kingdom...
.
In 2009 Cooney received an honorary doctorate from Keele University.