Julian Hunte

Julian Hunte ( right ) with Canadian Foreign Minister William Graham ( Washington DC, February 2004 )

Sir Julian Robert Hunte KCMG , OBE (born March 14, 1940 in Castries ) is a diplomat and politician of the Caribbean state of St. Lucia . He was President of the 58th General Assembly of the United Nations from September 16, 2003 to September 14, 2004 . In addition, he was Foreign Minister of St. Lucia from April 2001 to October 2004 .

Since March 2006 he has been chairman of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS).

Life

Hunte studied business administration and accounting and played on his country's national cricket team during his student days ; after his active career he remained loyal to the sport as a functionary. Hunte began his political career in 1967 as a city councilor and union leader. Later his path led him through the mayor's office of the capital Castries and other offices up to his appointment to the cabinet in 2001. He was also chairman of the trade union federation and headed the Labor Party of St. Lucia from 1984 to 2004 . Between 1998 and 2001, Hunte represented his country as ambassador to the United Nations. He was elected President of the United Nations General Assembly in 2003.

Hunte is married and has four children.

Honors

Hunte was inducted into the Order of the British Empire as an Officer ( OBE ) in 1979. Immediately after the end of his tenure as President of the UN General Assembly, Hunte was appointed Grand Cross Knight of the Order of Pius by Pope John Paul II in 2004, despite being a Roman Catholic who was (and still is) an advocate of the right to abortion . In 2013 he was knighted as Knight Commander of the Order of St. Michael and St. George .

Web links

• Biography with photo on un.org (English)