Head of Mission

Maria Pavlova Tzotzorkova Kaymaktchieva

 

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary  of the Republic of Bulgaria to the Republic of South Africa (Presidential Decree #53 of 16 February 2021)

 Professional and diplomatic career:

- Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Bulgaria to the Republic of Armenia – 2016-2020

- Director of the United Nations and International Development Cooperation Directorate at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria (2015 – 2016);

- Head of the Department of International Cooperation for Development, United Nations  and International Development Cooperation Directorate, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria - 2014-2015;

- Deputy Permanent Representative of the Republic of Bulgaria to the United Nations, Permanent Mission of the Republic of Bulgaria to the United Nations in New York, 2012-2013;

- Councellor, Permanent Mission of the Republic of Bulgaria to the United Nations in New York, 2010-2012;

- Councellor and First Secretary, United Nations and International Organizations Directorate, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria, 2008-2010;

- First Secretary, Permanent Mission of the Republic of Bulgaria to the United Nations in New York, 2004-2007;

- Second Secretary, Disarmament and Non-Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction Department, NATO and International Security Directorate, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria, 2002-2004;

- Third and Second Secretary, Permanent Mission of the Republic of Bulgaria to the United Nations in New York, 1997-2001;

- Head of the Diplomatic Archive and Documentation Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria, 1993-1996;

- Chief Expert, Diplomatic Archive and Documentation Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria, 1992-1993

- Specialist, Department of Bulgarian History, Sofia Technical University, 1986-1991.

Other posts relevant to the discharge of the main competences:

Secretary to the Intergovernmental Council on International Cooperation for Development and Chairperson of the Expert Inter-agency Working Group on Development Policy of Bulgaria (2014 - 2016);

Chairperson of the UN Committee of Non-Governmental Organizations (elected post) - 2012;

Represented Bulgaria on the Bureaus of a number of intergovernmental bodies and international forums in the UN system

Educational Credentials and Diplomatic training:

M.A. in History from Veliko Turnovo University “St. St. Cyril and Methodius”;

Completed doctoral studies at the Sofia University “St. Climent Ohridsky”;

PhD in Diplomatic History;

Foreign Policy and Public Diplomacy, Course for young Bulgarian diplomats, USIA and Foreign Service Institute, Washington DC, USA, 1992;

Course for Foreign Diplomats, Foreign Service Institute, Ministry of External Relations, New Delhi, India, 1996;

Programs conducted by the UN Department of Political Affairs, Columbia University and International Peace Academy in New York on international  security issues, prevention of conflicts, mediation, peace-building, international commercial policies.

Marital Status  -  married.

Foreign Languages - English, Spanish and Russian. Working knowledge of French and Italian.