President of the Fourth Cycle 2009-2010

Alex Van Meeuwen (Belgium) served as the fourth President of the Human Rights Council from June 2009 to June 2010. Up until January 2012, he served as Permanent Representative of Belgium to the UN Office at Geneva, a post he took up in August 2006.

Prior to this assignment he served as General Director for Political Affairs in the Belgian Foreign Ministry (2001 - 2006); and Deputy Head of Cabinet of the Vice-Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs (1999 - 2001).

Mr. Van Meeuwen also served as Advisor to the Belgian Permanent Representation to the EU in Brussels (1997 - 1999); and Head of Office dealing with former Yugoslavia and the OSCE at the Council for Europe (1994 - 1997).

Earlier in his career, Ambassador Van Meeuwen was assigned to the Permanent Mission of Belgium in Geneva where he dealt with the GATT and WIPO (1990 - 1994); the Permanent Representation to the EEC in Brussels looking after GATT (1987 - 1990); Head Office at the Secretary of European Coordination in Brussels (1984 - 1987); and the Embassy of Belgium in Yaounde, Cameroon (1982 - 1984).