Rolf Ekéus

Carl Rolf Ekéus (born 7 July 1935) is a Swedish diplomat. Ekéus had a long career in diplomacy and international security. He began as a district court clerk before joining the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 1962, with postings in Bonn, Nairobi, and The Hague. He played a key role in Sweden’s UN delegation, serving as deputy representative on the Security Council and later as ambassador to the Disarmament Delegation in Geneva. From 1991 to 1997, he led the United Nations Special Commission on Iraq, overseeing disarmament efforts after the Gulf War.

Ekéus later served as Sweden’s ambassador to the United States (1997–2000) and held influential positions in arms control, including membership in the Canberra Commission and the UN Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters. From 2001 to 2007, he served as OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities. He has since remained active in international security, including roles with SIPRI, the Nuclear Threat Initiative, and the International Commission on Missing Persons.