Biography

Rene Orellana Halkyer, a Bolivian national, holds a PhD in Law with a specialization in Interlegality and Legal Fields from the University of Amsterdam, Netherlands. He also holds a Master's degree in Climate Change Law and Economics from the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences in Argentina, a Master's degree in Energy and Environmental Policy and Management from the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences in Mexico, and a Bachelor's degree in Sociology from the University from San Simón in Bolivia.

Before joining FAO, he served as Regional Manager for Mexico and Central America and Representative in Mexico at the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF), a position he held since March 2022.

In 2019, he was Ambassador of the Plurinational State of Bolivia to the Eastern Republic of Uruguay and Representative to the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR) and the Latin American Integration Association (ALADI).

Ambassador on Special Mission with Plenipotentiary Representation for Environment and Development Issues to the United Nations and served as Minister of Development Planning from 2015 to 2017.

He was Minister of Water between April 2008 and January 2009, Minister of Environment and Water between April 2009 and January 2010, and Deputy Minister of Basic Services in 2006.

Mr. Orellana Halkyer served as advisor to the Executive Directorate of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay in the World Bank Group.

He chaired the G77+China at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) on behalf of Bolivia at COP20, was a member of the ministerial facilitation team for the Paris Agreement (COP21) and participated in the formulation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

His professional career demonstrates a strong commitment to the transformation of agrifood systems to make them more sustainable, climate action, international cooperation, and the strengthening of public governance in Latin America and the Caribbean.