Born December 8th, 1939 in Graz (Austria),
Married 1966 to Annie LECHEVALIER, one son, one daughter
1957 – 1964 Studies of Law and Political Science in Graz, Bologna (Johns Hopkins) and Chapel Hill (N.C., US)
1965 Entered Federal Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Vienna, AUSTRIA
1968 -1976 Served in Tokyo and New York (UN)
1978 – 1982 Entered Cabinet Office of Federal Chancellor Dr. Bruno KREISKY, with responsibility for foreign relations, During this time, special missions to the Middle East and North Africa; ‘Sherpa’ for the preparation of first North – South Summit in Cancun, 1981.
1982 - 1993 Permanent Representative of Austria to OECD, Paris, FRANCE
1993 - 2004 Director General for Development Cooperation in the Federal Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Vienna, AUSTRIA
1998 – 2000 Participation in the Burundi peace negotiations in Arusha, on behalf of the EU,
as Chair of one of the four negotiating commissions (on return of refugees, reconstruction
and development);
2005 – 2010 Special Envoy for Africa of the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Austria.
Participation in most high-level conferences in Africa, extensive travels to African countries.
2006 Chair of EU Africa Working Group; Head of first EU-Troika to Chad, April 2006; representing the EU in High Level Working Group for Côte d’Ivoire, Somalia Contact group, AU – summit, etc.
2007 – 2010 Preparation of Austrian candidature to UN Security Council; later, backstopping for African question in UNSC during Austrian membership;
2006 – 2010 Special Envoy of EU presidencies for Chad; Troika Missions to Chad;
At present: Member of the Board of Bruno Kreisky Forum for International Dialogue; of International Law Institute (Washington, Kampala); Chairman of the Board CARE Austria (2011 -2018), Board member of CARE Austria since June 2018.