High Commissioner on National Minorities

The HCNM's mandate states that the High Commissioner should be an eminent international personality with long-standing relevant experience from whom an impartial performance of the function may be expected. The mandate draws heavily on the judgement, experience, and political and diplomatic sense of the appointed personality. In this sense, the acquired reputation and the personal traits of the High Commissioner are vitally important.

This page provides information about illustrious career of High Commissioner Vollebaek's predecessors, Max van der Stoel of the Netherlands (1993-2001) and Rolf Ekéus of Sweden (2001-2007).