Sven Alkalaj

Sven Alkalaj (born November 11, 1948) is a Bosnian diplomat who is the current Foreign Minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Alkalaj, who is of Sephardic ethnicity, is one of the most prominent Bosnian Jews. He is a member of the Party for Bosnia and Herzegovina led by Dr. Haris Silajdžić.

Background

Sven Alkalaj was born in Sarajevo and graduated in mechanical engineering at the University of Sarajevo in 1974. He returned to the university in 1987 and earned a degree in economics which he supplemented with further education at the Harvard Business School in 1999 where Alkalaj earned degrees in management and corporate finance.

Career

*February 2004 – February 2007. - Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the Kingdom of Belgium and Head of Mission of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in Brussels.
*2000 - 2004 - Ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the Organization of American States and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the United States of America in Washington DC.

*1988 - 1994 - Managing Director of Energoinvest in Bangkok, Thailand.

*1985 – 1988 - Regional Manager for Middle and Far East Energoinvest in Sarajevo.

*1975 – 1985 - Commercial Manager of Petrolinvest in Sarajevo.

Other

Alkalaj is fluent in English and French and has some knowledge of Spanish. He is married and has a daughter from a previous marriage.fact|date=June 2007

Alkalaj has been exposed to harsh criticism and requests for his resignation after it was published that Alkalaj received Croatian citizenship after declaring himself as Croat, Bosnian media reported.

External links

* [http://www.mfa.gov.ba/index.htm Official Web Site of the the Ministry of Foreign affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina] bs icon en icon de icon