María Fernanda Espinosa is former President of the UN General Assembly, former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Defense of Ecuador, and a leading authority on global governance, climate change, and gender equality.
About me
María Fernanda Espinosa was the President of the United Nations General Assembly 2018-2019, becoming the fourth woman and the first from Latin America and the Caribbean to hold the position. Espinosa is a distinguished academic, diplomat, politician, poet, and linguist who has served in high-level government positions, including Ecuador’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Integration (2007-2008 and 2017-2018) and Minister of National Defense (2012-2014). She has led regional and international negotiations on bilateral and multilateral issues for over a decade. Under her leadership, the Armed Forces underwent restructuring and modernization to adapt to the region’s geopolitical context and new risks and threats to national security, such as cybersecurity, drug trafficking, organized transnational crime, and natural disasters.
With over three decades of developing roles in academia, NGOs, international organizations, and the government, she has established herself as an expert in international relations, peace and security, sustainable development, climate change, gender equality, and the rights of indigenous peoples. She honed her skills in multilateral diplomacy and international political affairs, with key roles at the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (UICN), where she served as an advisor on biodiversity and climate change policy (1999-2005) and later as regional director (2005-2007). She represented Ecuador at the United Nations as the first female Ambassador in New York (2008-2009) and Geneva (2014-2017).
Minister of State
(2007-2018)
María Fernanda Espinosa has held multiple high-profile roles, including Minister of Foreign Affairs, Trade, and Integration (2007) and Ecuador’s first female Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York (2008-2009). She played a key role in shaping Ecuador’s foreign policy, promoting regional integration, and participating in key international negotiations on the global financial crisis and environmental issues. As the Coordinating Minister of Cultural and Natural Heritage (2009-2012), she led the Yasuní-ITT Initiative and spearheaded efforts to protect Ecuador’s cultural and natural heritage.
In 2012, Espinosa was appointed Minister of National Defense, where she modernized the Armed Forces and implemented a Gender Equality Policy. Later, as Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva (2014-2017), she chaired important discussions on human rights and defended Ecuador’s international positions. Reappointed as Minister of Foreign Affairs in 2017, she launched the Foreign Policy Agenda for 2017-2021, strengthened consular services for Ecuadorians abroad, and played a crucial role in peace talks between the Colombian government and the ELN.
President of the United Nations General Assembly (2018-2019)
On June 5, 2018, María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés became the fourth woman and the first from Latin America and the Caribbean to serve as President of the United Nations General Assembly. During her tenure, she prioritized global governance, health diplomacy, and climate action, focusing on decent work, migration, environmental sustainability, and gender equality. Espinosa was instrumental in the adoption of significant agreements, including the Global Compact on Refugees and the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration. She also launched the International Year of Indigenous Languages and led a global campaign against single-use plastics, achieving their elimination at the UN headquarters.
María Fernanda was a staunch advocate for gender equality, bringing together women leaders to advance this agenda and appointing a significant number of women as co-facilitators of intergovernmental negotiations. She introduced “Minga Mornings,” informal dialogues to foster understanding among UN members, and organized key events on climate change, sustainable development, and multilateralism. Her presidency was marked by efforts to revitalize the UN and strengthen its commitment to global challenges.
Academia
María Fernanda Espinosa has had a distinguished academic career, particularly at the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences (FLACSO) in Ecuador, where she founded and directed the Socio-Environmental Studies Program. For nearly a decade, Espinosa focused on research and teaching in areas such as sustainable development, indigenous peoples’ rights, and environmental conservation in the Amazon.
Her most notable publications include “Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge, and Intellectual Property: Key Pieces in Free Trade Agreements” (2004), “The Ecuadorian Amazon: Internal Colony” (1998), and “International Processes on Genetic Resources and Traditional Knowledge: Options and Negotiation Alternatives” (2003). These studies have been fundamental in advancing public policies that aim to protect Ecuador’s cultural and natural heritage, as well as promote environmental justice and social equity.
Poet
In addition to her academic and diplomatic career, Espinosa is an acclaimed poet, having published several poetry books that explore themes of identity, nature, and resilience.
Her notable works include Geografías Torturadas (2013), a poetic reflection on the emotional and physical geography of peoples and territories; Antología (2005), which compiles her best poetic work; Loba Triste (2000), an introspective text on solitude and femininity; Tatuaje de Selva (1992), capturing the essence of the Amazon; and Caymándote (1990), her first publication marking the beginning of her literary career. Her poetry was recognized with the National Poetry Prize of Ecuador in 1990, cementing her place in Ecuadorian and international literature.
Affiliations
Leadership Roles
- President of Cities Alliance.
- Member and Executive Director of Global Women Leaders for Change and Inclusion, GWL Voices.
- Co-Chair of the Coalition for the UN We Need.
- Co-Chair of the Climate Governance Commission.
- Co-Chair of the Debt Relief for a Green and Inclusive Recovery.
- Co-chair of the Climate Governance Commission for the Global Governance Forum.
Advisory and Board Memberships
- Member of the Board of Trustees of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center.
- Member of the Board of Trustees of the International Crisis Group.
- Member of the Advisory Board for the World Humanitarian Forum.
- Member of the United Nations Advisory Board on Human Security.
- Member of the High Level Advisory Panel of the UNDP Human Development Reports.
- Member of the Multi-Stakeholder Steering Committee of the Generation Equality, Beijing +25 process and Generation Equality Forum.
- Member of the High-Level Advisory Council for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations.
- Councilor of the World Future Council.
- Member of the United Nations Global Council on Inequality, AIDS, and Pandemics.
- Member of the Political Advisory Panel of the Universal Health Coverage 2030 Movement.
- Member of the Advisory Board of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research.
- Member of the Advisory Panel of the Institute of Public Policy Research.
- Member of the Board of Directors and Patrons at the World Sustainability Forum.
- Member of the Latin American Advisory Council of PRISA.
- Member of the Club de Madrid’s Advisory Committee.
- Member of the Club G100.
- Member of the Sounding Board for the RISE Cities Program of the BMW Foundation Herbert Quandt.
- Member of the World Academy of Arts and Science.
- UBUNTU Advisor for United Cities and Local Governments.
- Founding Member of the Centre for UN Studies at the University of Buckingham.
Commissioner Roles
- Commissioner to the World Commission on the Economics of Water.
- Commissioner of Our Common Air Secretariat, organized by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water.
Ambassadorships
- Goodwill Ambassador for the Latin American and Caribbean Fund for the Development of the Indigenous Peoples (FILAC).
- Goodwill Ambassador for the Common Home of Humanity.
Previous Roles and Activities
- Member of the COP28 UAE Advisory Committee.
- Co-Chair of the International Advisory Committee for Azerbaijan’s COP29 Presidency.
- Chair of the Board of Women in Global Health (2023).
- Fellow at the Robert Bosch Academy in Berlin (2020–2021), focusing on UN Reform and Multilateralism.
and honors
