Gilles Bertrand begins his mandate as EU Special Envoy for Afghanistan

Gilles Bertrand begins his mandate as EU Special Envoy for Afghanistan

Gilles Bertrand takes up his new role as Special Envoy of the European Union for Afghanistan as of September 2025. His main task is to advance the EU's principled engagement on Afghanistan, as set out in the 2021 and 2023 Council conclusions. This engagement focuses on supporting the Afghan people, protecting human rights, especially the rights of women and girls, facilitating humanitarian assistance, countering terrorism, and promoting regional stability.

The new Special Envoy has a longstanding connection with the country and its people. His first posting abroad was in Kabul, as Head of the Political Section of the EU Delegation. He brings to the job extensive experience in EU external relations, peace and crisis diplomacy, and relations with the Muslim world. Most recently, he was EU Ambassador to Colombia (2021-2025) and EU Chargé d'Affaires to Syria (2019-2021).

"The EU must pursue its principled engagement with Afghanistan in order to strengthen regional stability and defend its values and interests. One particular priority of mine will be to ensure that the European Union continues to be a strong supporter of the Afghan people, in particular women and girls who face unprecedented restrictions. In close cooperation with Member States, partners and civil society, I will work to make sure that the EU's positions are heard and understood, internationally and in the region."

The Special Envoy will work in close cooperation with the EU Delegation in Kabul and with partners across the region to ensure coherence and impact in the Union's engagement in support of a stable, secure and prosperous Afghanistan. He also serves as Head of Division for Afghanistan and Pakistan in the EU External Action Service.

About Gilles Bertrand

A career EU diplomat, Gilles Bertrand holds extensive experience in EU external relations, peace and crisis diplomacy, and relations with the Muslim world. He was previously EU Ambassador to Colombia (2021-2025) and EU Chargé d'Affaires to Syria (2019-2021, based in Beirut). Earlier in his career, among other postings, he led the Syria Conference Team and advised on Middle East and North Africa policies (2017-2019) and already served in Afghanistan as Head of the Political Section of the EU Delegation (2002-2004). He also held other positions in DG External Relations, DG Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, the Cabinet of Commissioner Štefan Füle (Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy) and the European Commission's Forward Studies Unit, where he started his career in 1995. Outside EU institutions, Gilles directed Marseilles' École de la deuxième chance, a major NGO supporting education and training for disadvantaged youth (2014-2017).

Mr Bertrand studied at the ESSEC Business School and the Institute of Political Sciences of Paris. A native French speaker, he is fluent in English and Spanish, with some working knowledge of German and Arabic and a basic command of several other European and Middle Eastern languages.