Kiyotaka Akasaka
Encyclopedia
is the United Nations
Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information
. He was appointed to the position by the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
in February 2007. Akasaka also serves as Coordinator for Multilingualism
in the UN Secretariat.
A career diplomat, Mr. Akasaka has served several multilateral organizations in different capacities. From 2003 to 2007, he was the Deputy Secretary-General of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), where he was responsible for issues on development, environment, sustainable development and building and maintaining partnership with other international organizations.
From 1997 to 2000, he served as Deputy Director-General in the Multilateral Cooperation Department of the Japanese Foreign Ministry. He acted as one of the top negotiators in the Kyoto Conference on Climate Change in December 1997.
From 2000 to 2001, he served as the Japanese Ambassador to the United Nations. Previously, he worked at the Secretariat of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
(GATT) (1988–1991) and the World Health Organization
(1993–1997).
Akasaka joined the Japanese Foreign Ministry in April 1971, where he held several posts. He was Deputy Director of the Press Division and later the Ministry's Spokesman on climate change
issues for many years.
He obtained his Bachelor of Arts in law from Kyoto University
in 1971. In the following year, he pursued his studies at Trinity College, Cambridge
, where he obtained a Bachelor and a Master of Arts in economics.
He co-authored the books The GATT and the Uruguay Round Negotiations and The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. He also published many articles on trade, the environment and sustainable development in Japanese journals and newspapers.
Akasaka is fluent in English and French.
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...
Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information
United Nations Department of Public Information
The United Nations Department of Public Information helps non-governmental organizations gain access to and disseminate information about United Nations issues so the public can better understand the aims and objectives of the organizations...
. He was appointed to the position by the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
Ban Ki-moon
Ban Ki-moon is the eighth and current Secretary-General of the United Nations, after succeeding Kofi Annan in 2007. Before going on to be Secretary-General, Ban was a career diplomat in South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in the United Nations. He entered diplomatic service the year he...
in February 2007. Akasaka also serves as Coordinator for Multilingualism
Official languages of the United Nations
The official languages of the United Nations are the six languages that are used in UN meetings, and in which all official UN documents are written...
in the UN Secretariat.
A career diplomat, Mr. Akasaka has served several multilateral organizations in different capacities. From 2003 to 2007, he was the Deputy Secretary-General of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), where he was responsible for issues on development, environment, sustainable development and building and maintaining partnership with other international organizations.
From 1997 to 2000, he served as Deputy Director-General in the Multilateral Cooperation Department of the Japanese Foreign Ministry. He acted as one of the top negotiators in the Kyoto Conference on Climate Change in December 1997.
From 2000 to 2001, he served as the Japanese Ambassador to the United Nations. Previously, he worked at the Secretariat of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade was negotiated during the UN Conference on Trade and Employment and was the outcome of the failure of negotiating governments to create the International Trade Organization . GATT was signed in 1947 and lasted until 1993, when it was replaced by the World...
(GATT) (1988–1991) and the World Health Organization
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the agency inherited the mandate and resources of its predecessor, the Health...
(1993–1997).
Akasaka joined the Japanese Foreign Ministry in April 1971, where he held several posts. He was Deputy Director of the Press Division and later the Ministry's Spokesman on climate change
Climate change
Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average...
issues for many years.
He obtained his Bachelor of Arts in law from Kyoto University
Kyoto University
, or is a national university located in Kyoto, Japan. It is the second oldest Japanese university, and formerly one of Japan's Imperial Universities.- History :...
in 1971. In the following year, he pursued his studies at Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
, where he obtained a Bachelor and a Master of Arts in economics.
He co-authored the books The GATT and the Uruguay Round Negotiations and The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. He also published many articles on trade, the environment and sustainable development in Japanese journals and newspapers.
Akasaka is fluent in English and French.