EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Vice-President of the European Commission Josep Borrell nominated Estonian diplomats Aivo Orav and Toivo Klaar as the next EU ambassadors to Kosovo and Uzbekistan, respectively.
In all, Borrell nominated 44 heads of delegation, heads of office and chargés d'affaires ad interim (a.i.) of the European Union for the upcoming diplomatic rotation, the European External Action Service (EEAS), the diplomatic service of the EU, said in a press release Tuesday.
Toivo Klaar, who was nominated as the next EU ambassador to Uzbekistan, is currently serving as EU special representative (EUSR) for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia. He was first appointed to the EUSR position in November 2017, after which his mandate has repeatedly been been extended by the EU.
Klaar has served as head of the EEAS' Division for Central Asia (2014-2017), head of the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM) (2013-2014), head of the EEAS' Division for Human Resources Policy and Coordination (2011-2013) and head of the Representation of the European Commission in Estonia (2005-2010).
He has also previously served in various posts at Estonia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as defense adviser at the Estonian Embassy in Washington (2001-2002) and as diplomatic adviser to Estonian President Lennart Meri (1999-2001).
The appointment process for all of the newly named nominees will be formalized following the receipt of official approval – or agrément – where applicable, from the respective host countries.