Natalia Zarudna () (Born: 15 February 1950) is a Ukrainian career

diplomat A diplomat (from ; romanization, romanized ''diploma'') is a person appointed by a state (polity), state, International organization, intergovernmental, or Non-governmental organization, nongovernmental institution to conduct diplomacy with one ...

, has headed the Programme Office in

Astana Astana is the capital city of Kazakhstan. With a population of 1,423,726 within the city limits, it is the second-largest in the country after Almaty, which had been the capital until 1997. The city lies on the banks of the Ishim (river), Ishim ...

since December 2011. Before joining the

OSCE The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) is a regional security-oriented intergovernmental organization comprising member states in Europe, North America, and Asia. Its mandate includes issues such as arms control, the pr ...

, she represented her country in

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

and

Denmark Denmark is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe. It is the metropole and most populous constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark,, . also known as the Danish Realm, a constitutionally unitary state that includes the Autonomous a ...

, and was Ambassador-at-large for environmental issues and for humanitarian and cultural cooperation. In 2002 and 2003, she served as Deputy Foreign Minister.

Early life and education

She was born in

Chernivtsi Chernivtsi (, ; , ;, , see also #Names, other names) is a city in southwestern Ukraine on the upper course of the Prut River. Formerly the capital of the historic region of Bukovina, which is now divided between Romania and Ukraine, Chernivt ...

, on 15 February 1950. Zarudna graduated from

Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv The Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv (; also known as Kyiv University, Shevchenko University, or KNU) is a public university in Kyiv, Ukraine. The university is the third-oldest university in Ukraine after the University of Lviv and ...

in 1973, after studying Phiology, later she worked as an English and Spanish teacher. She speaks fluent Russian, English, and Spanish.

Professional career and experience

From 1973 to 1992, she worked as a translator, guide translator of the first category of the Anglo-American group of the

Kyiv Kyiv, also Kiev, is the capital and most populous List of cities in Ukraine, city of Ukraine. Located in the north-central part of the country, it straddles both sides of the Dnieper, Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2022, its population was 2, ...

branch of the State Committee on Tourism. Since 1992 she has been the second secretary of the

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine (, ) is the ministry of the Ukrainian government that oversees the foreign relations of Ukraine. The head of the ministry is the Minister of Foreign Affairs. History Originally, the ministry was estab ...

. From 1992 to 1993, she was the first Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of

Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...

. In 1993, she was acting Head of the Information Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. From 1993 to 1994, she was the Head of the Liaison Department with the Embassies of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. From 1994 to 1996, she was the Head of the Embassy Liaison Department, acting Head of the Information Ministry of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. From 1996 to 1999, she was an advisor, acting advisor to the Ambassador of the Embassy of Ukraine to the United States, Deputy Permanent Observer of

at the

Organization of American States The Organization of American States (OAS or OEA; ; ; ) is an international organization founded on 30 April 1948 to promote cooperation among its member states within the Americas. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States, the OAS is ...

. From 1999 to 2000 she worked as the chief of the 4th territorial department of the MFA of Ukraine. From 01.2000 to 03.2000 Press Secretary of the

Prime Minister of Ukraine The prime minister of Ukraine (, , ) is the head of government of Ukraine. The prime minister presides over the government of Ukraine, Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, which is the highest body of the executive branch of the government of Ukrain ...

, Head of the Press Service and Protocol Service of the

Government of Ukraine The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine (), commonly referred to as the Government of Ukraine (), is the highest body of state Executive (government), executive power in Ukraine. As the Cabinet of Ministers of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republi ...

. From 01.2000 to 06.2001 Press Secretary of the Prime Minister of Ukraine - Head of the Press Service of the

. Since 12.2001 she has been acting Head of the Department of Culture and Humanitarian Cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. Since December 25, 2001 she was the Deputy Chairman of the National Commission of Ukraine for

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...

, participated in the work of the Executive Board of UNESCO. From 10.2002 to 09.2003 she worked as Deputy State Secretary of the

. From 12.2004 to 04.09.2008 Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to the Kingdom of Denmark. From 04.09.2008 to 16.12.2011 Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to the Federal Republic of Germany. Since 2012, she has been managing the

programs in

Kazakhstan Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a landlocked country primarily in Central Asia, with a European Kazakhstan, small portion in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the Kazakhstan–Russia border, north and west, China to th ...

.Statement by H.E. Ambassador Erfani in response to the presentation by Ambassador Natalia Zarudna of the OSCE Centre in Astana, at the 1004th Permanent Council Meeting of the OSCE
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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zarudna, Natalia 1950 births Living people Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv alumni Ambassadors of Ukraine to Germany Ambassadors of Ukraine to Denmark Ukrainian women ambassadors