DISCUSSION WITH DAMIEN CRISTOFARI: A CAREER DIPLOMAT WITH THE FRENCH FOREIGN SERVICE

DISCUSSION WITH DAMIEN CRISTOFARI

SPEAKER BIOGRAPHY:

Damien Cristofari is the Head of the Political Section and Senior Counselor in charge of European Affairs at the French Embassy to the United States.

A career diplomat with the French foreign service, Damien served in Jerusalem as Deputy Consul General (2008-2012) and in Brussels, first at the French Permanent Mission to the European Union – where he was in charge of the Middle East and North Africa portfolio (2012-2015), then as a Political advisor seconded to the European Union Special Representative for the Middle East Peace Process (2015-2016) and, finally, as a Political advisor seconded to the Deputy Secretary General for Political Affairs of the European External Action Service (2017-2019).

In 2016, he was appointed Counselor on Middle East and North Africa policy in the office of the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs and former Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault. Before coming to Washington, he served as Deputy Assistant Secretary in charge of the external relations of the European Union at the French Ministry for External and Foreign Affairs (MFA).

Damien Cristofari holds a B.A. (History) from La Sorbonne University and a Master's Degree (Arab Studies) from the Paris Institute of Political Sciences (Sciences PO Paris). He speaks French, English and Arabic.