Gerard van Bohemen is New Zealand’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations. New Zealand is currently a non-permanent member of the Security Council. Prior to this role, he was Deputy Secretary at the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, responsible for Multilateral and Legal Affairs. In this role, he oversaw the Ministry’s Consular Division, Environment Division, International Security and Disarmament Division, Legal Division, and United Nations, Human Rights & Commonwealth Division. Gerard has served twice at the New Zealand Mission to the United Nations in New York, the second time as Deputy Permanent Representative during New Zealand’s last term on the Security Council.

Gerard’s career has combined service with the Ministry in Wellington and New York, and private legal practice in Auckland and Wellington. He was a Senior Solicitor at Russell McVeagh’s Auckland offices for two years, a Senior Solicitor then a partner for eight years at Buddle Findlay’s Auckland offices and a partner at Chen Palmer & Partners in Wellington.  In these role, he undertook a variety of environmental and resource management work and civil litigation. He appeared in the Environment Court, High Court, Court of Appeal and also appeared twice in the Privy Council in London.

Since returning to the Ministry in April 2005, Gerard led the presentation of New Zealand’s claim to an extended continental shelf, led the New Zealand delegation in the negotiations that resulted in the adoption of the Convention on the Conservation and Management of High Seas Fishery Resources of the South Pacific Ocean, was the New Zealand negotiator in the reform process at the International Whaling Commission (IWC) and, since 2011, has been New Zealand’s Commissioner to the IWC. He has also been New Zealand’s Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Gerard graduated from Victoria University of Wellington with a Bachelor of Arts in English and a Bachelor of Laws with Honours (1st Class).

Contact Information

Permanent Mission of New Zealand to the United Nations
600 Third Ave, 14th Floor
New York, NY 10016

Phone: 001 – 212 – 826 1960
Fax: 001 – 212 – 758 0827

Email: nzmissionny@earthlink.net
Website: http://www.nzembassy.com/united-nations