AOSIS Bureau
Chair
H.E. Dr. Dessima Williams
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Permanent Representative of Grenada to the United Nations
Ms. Williams has served as the Chair of AOSIS since the Spring of 2007. She was appointed the Ambassador of Grenada to the United Nations on 17 February, 2009.
Ms. Williams holds a doctorate in international relations and a master's degree in international development from the American University in Washington, D.C., 1995, in addition to a bachelor's degree in international relations from the University of Minnesota, 1976.
Ms. Williams' diplomatic service includes serving as Grenada's NGO observer/delegate to various General Assembly sessions; NGO delegate to the 1995 Fourth United Nations Conference on Women and NGO Forum in Beijing; and NGO delegate to the World Summit on Social Development in Copenhagen, Denmark, also in 1995. She serves on the board of the Inter-Agency Group of Development Organizations in Grenada, and the Center for International Policy in Washington, D.C., among others.
Ms. Williams has extensive academic experience, as an Assistant Professor of Sociology and Social Policy at Brandeis University, from 2003 to 2006; visiting Professor at Florida Atlantic University in 2002; and Jacob Ziskind Visiting Associate Professor of Sociology, also at Brandeis University, from 1992 to 1995. She is the author of the report Gender Dimensions of HIV/AIDS in Grenada, and was a co-author of a multi-volume report to the United Kingdom Department for International Development, Realization of Human Rights in the Caribbean Territories, in 2002.
Contact Information:
Permanent Representative of Grenada to the United Nations
800 Second Avenue, Suite 400k
New York, New York 10017
Tel: 212-599-0301
Fax: 212-599-1540
E-mail: grenada@un.int
Vice-Chairs
H.E. Mr. Collin D. Beck
Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Solomon Islands to the United Nations
Mr. Beck has served as the Ambassador of the Solomin Islands to the United Nations since 26 November, 2003. Previously, Mr. Beck served in his country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as Assistant Secretary of the Political and Security Division's Pacific and Asian Branch. Prior to that, in 1995, he was the Ministry's Chief Desk Officer.
From September 1993 to January 1995, he served as Counselor at his country's Permanent Mission to the European Union, its embassy in Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands, and the High Commission to the United Kingdom. In 1990, he set up his country's Consulate General Office in Brisbane, Australia.
Mr. Beck received a master's degree in international relations and South-East Asian politics in 1999 from the University of Queensland. He also holds a Foreign Services Certificate from Oxford University, and a bachelor's degree in administration and political science from the University of the South Pacific.
Contact Information:
Permanent Mission of the Solomon Islands to the United Nations
800 Second Avenue, Suite 400L
New York, NY 10017
H.E. Mr. Antonio Pedro Monteiro Lima
Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Cape Verde to the United Nations
Mr. Monteiro Lima has served as the Ambassador of Cape Verde to the United Nations since 23 August, 2007. Previously, he was the Political and Diplomatic Adviser to the President, a post he held since August 2001, while serving concurrently as the Head of State's Permanent Representative to the International Organization of La Francophonie and Chairman of the National Francophonie Committee.
From January 1999 to June 2001, he was stationed in Lome, Togo, as Director of the Communications, Compensation and Development Fund of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), having been the Fund's Secretary-General from June 1992 to December 1998.
Mr. Monteiro Lima was Secretary of State for External Affairs and Emigration from 1990 to 1991, having served as Director-General for Political, Economic and Cultural Affairs in the Ministry of External Affairs between 1988 and 1990. From 1985 to 1987 he was the Diplomatic Adviser to the Presidency.
A career diplomat, Mr. Monteiro was non-resident Ambassador Plenipotentiary to Guinea-Bissau (1983-1990) and Algeria (1982-1990). From 1975 to 1981, he was Chief of the Africa, Asia and Oceania Department in the Directorate-General of Political, Economic and Cultural Affairs at the External Affairs Ministry.
Mr. Monteiro Lima was educated at the Université de Paris VIII and the Université de Tours, both in France.
Contact Information:
Permanent Mission of Cape Verde to the United Nations
27 East 69th Street
New York, NY 10021