The King approved the assignment of 27 Heads of Diplomatic Missions, as proposed by Foreign Minister Didier Reynders. The assignments for the bilateral missions will be effective only after the host countries have given their approval (‘agrément’). For Permanent Representatives, a prior accreditation by the relevant International Organisations is required. The new Heads of Mission will take office during the Summer period.

This decision applies to the following missions and persons (current function indicated between parentheses):

Embassies

• Abidjan, Ivory Coast: Mr. Hugues Chantry (currently Ambassador in Addis Ababa)
• Abuja, Nigeria: Mr. Stéphane De Loecker (currently Advisor to the Western Europe / Central Europe / North America department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
• Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: Mr. Didier Nagant (currently Counsellor at the Embassy in Rome)
• Amman, Jordan: Mr. Hendrik Van de Velde (currently Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
• Athens, Greece: Mr. Luc Liebaut (currently Ambassador in Tokyo)
• Bucharest, Romania: Mr. Thomas Baekelandt (currently Ambassador in Amman)
• Budapest, Hungary: Ms. Marie-France André (currently Director Disarmament and Non-Proliferation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
• Dakar, Senegal: Mr. Philippe Colyn (currently Director Foreign Policy of the EU, Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
• Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: Mr. Paul Cartier (currently Minister Counsellor at the Permanent Representation to the UN in Geneva)
• Hanoi, Viet Nam: Ms. Jehanne Roccas (currently Director South and East Asia / Oceania, Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
• Helsinki, Finland: Mr. Philippe Beke (currently Ambassador in Bucharest)
• Islamabad, Pakistan: Mr. Frédéric Verheyden (currently Advisor to the South and East Asia / Oceania department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
• Havana, Cuba: Mr. Patrick Van Gheel (currently Director Trade Policy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
• Lisbon, Portugal: Mr. Boudewijn Dereymaeker (currently Director Human Resources of the Foreign Service, Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
• Luanda, Angola: Mr. Frank Felix (currently Consul at the Embassy in Ankara)
• Oslo, Norway: Ms. Nancy Rossignol (currently Ambassador in Zagreb)
• Paris, France: Mr. Vincent Mertens (currently Ambassador in Rome)
• Rome, Italy: Mr. Patrick Vercauteren (currently Ambassador in Paris)
• Tokyo, Japan: Mr. Gunther Sleeuwagen (currently Director Eastern and Southeastern Europe / Central Asia, Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
• Zagreb, Croatia: Mr. Philippe Benoit (currently Advisor to the Secretary-General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

Consulates-General

• Hong Kong, China: Ms. Michèle Deneffe  currently Director Middle East / North Africa, Ministry of Foreign Affairs )
• Montréal, Canada: Mr. Hubert Roisin (currently Advisor to the Royal Palace)
• Mumbai, India: Mr. Peter Huyghebaert (currently Ambassador in Abidjan)
• São Paulo, Brazil: Mr. Charles Delogne (currently Ambassador in Luanda)

Permanent Representations

• OPCW, The Hague: Mr. Christian Lepage (currently Ambassador in Bratislava)
• OECD & UNESCO, Paris: Mr. Jean-Joël Schittecatte (currently Director Neighbouring Countries, Ministry of Foreign Affairs)