Elected by the General Assembly, Filippo Grandi became the 11th UN High Commissioner for Refugees on 1 January 2016. He leads UNHCR, which operates in 135 countries providing protection and assistance to the more than 103 million refugees, returnees, and internally displaced people, as well as stateless people. Grandi, an Italian national, has been engaged in international cooperation for 35 years and holds degrees in modern history and philosophy, as well as an honorary doctorate from the University of Coventry.

Olha Stefanishyna is a Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine since June 2020. In the Government, Olha Stefanishyna is in charge of Ukraine’s integration to the EU and NATO, as well as coordination of gender equality policy. Upon her appointment, she has initiated an update of the Association Agreement in order to boost trade between the EU and Ukraine and enhancement of transborder cooperation. The second part of DPM Stefanishyna portfolio is to ensure all-government coordination of Ukraine-NATO cooperation and increase the military interoperability between Ukraine and NATO Allies military forces. DPM Stefanishyna has over 13 years of experience in the field of International and European Law. She used to work in the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, served as a Director-General in the Government Office for Coordination of European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine, and used to have a private legal practice. Olha has a Master’s Degree in International law and a Diploma in economics, studied at the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna, and at the Estonian School of Diplomacy. She is well known in the professional circles as one of the most qualified “euro-integrators” of Ukraine.