Nils Petersen Minister of Foreign Affairs of Denmark Date of Birth: 17.01.1939 Country: Denmark

Biography of Niels Helveg Petersen

Niels Helveg Petersen is a Danish politician and statesman who has made significant contributions to his country. He holds a law degree and his career as a legislator and leadership of the Ministry of Economy have equipped him with extensive experience in solving various challenges. Colleagues describe Petersen as someone who can deeply understand a situation and see what the next step should be and where the danger lies.

On January 17th, Niels Helveg Petersen, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, will celebrate his 60th birthday. He is a record holder among his European counterparts in terms of the length of service in diplomacy, as he has held this position since January 1993. Many important global issues have been addressed with the direct involvement of Petersen, who has repeatedly chaired meetings in the OSCE, the European Union, the Council of Europe, the Baltic Sea States Council, and the Joint Permanent Council of Russia and NATO.

Petersen has also gained the trust of his fellow citizens. The residents of the island of Funen, the birthplace of Hans Christian Andersen, consistently elect Petersen to parliament. He is equally popular in the government, sharing the top position in popularity with the Minister of Food, Henrik Dam Kristensen.

Apart from his political career, Petersen has two main hobbies: football and tennis. In his free time, he is not only a supporter but also an active sportsman. In the coming year, Niels Helveg Petersen and his wife, Kirsten, who was a former colleague in parliament, will celebrate their 15th wedding anniversary.