Robert A. Wood is an American diplomat who is the alternate representative of the United States of America for special political affairs in the

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...

, with the rank of ambassador.

Early life and education

Wood earned a BA in 1985 from the

City University of New York The City University of New York ( CUNY; , ) is the Public university, public university system of Education in New York City, New York City. It is the largest urban university system in the United States, comprising 25 campuses: eleven Upper divis ...

Career

Wood served as the U.S. ambassador to the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, Switzerland, from 2014 until 2021. During that time, he also served as the United States commissioner to the Bilateral Consultative Commission of the New START Treaty, and as the United States special representative for Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) issues. He was deputy chief of mission, U.S. Mission to the

European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been des ...

in Brussels, Belgium. He also served as deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Mission to International Organizations in Vienna, Austria. Wood was the deputy spokesperson and deputy assistant secretary of state in the Bureau of Public Affairs in the

Department of State The United States Department of State (DOS), or State Department, is an executive department of the U.S. federal government responsible for the country's foreign policy and relations. Equivalent to the ministry of foreign affairs of other nati ...

, and an information officer at U.S. Embassy in Berlin, Germany. Wood was also deputy director of communications and spokesperson at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations in New York City. Other assignments include senior advisor in the Office of the Stability Pact for Southeast Europe; special assistant in the office of the under secretary of state for public diplomacy and public affairs; executive assistant in the office of the counselor of the United States Information Agency; public affairs officer in the Bureau of African Affairs; desk officer for Egypt, Yemen, and Sudan; and Near East Regional program officer in the United States Information Agency. Other overseas postings include

Islamabad, Pakistan Islamabad (; ur, , ) is the capital city of Pakistan. It is the country's ninth-most populous city, with a population of over 1.2 million people, and is federally administered by the Pakistani government as part of the Islamabad Capital T ...

Lagos, Nigeria Lagos (Nigerian English: ; ) is the largest city in Nigeria and the second most populous city in Africa, with a population of 15.4 million as of 2015 within the city proper. Lagos was the national capital of Nigeria until December 1991 fo ...

, and Mexico City, Mexico.

Alternate Representative to the UN

On December 15, 2021, President Joe Biden nominated Wood to be the alternate representative of the United States of America for special political affairs in the United Nations, with the rank of ambassador. Hearings on his nomination were held before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on June 23, 2022. The committee favorably reported his nomination on July 19, 2022. His nomination was confirmed before the full

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...

. On December 8, 2023, Wood voted against a UN resolution for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza which acted as a veto against it, stating the resolution "will only plant the seeds for the next war" and "was divorced from reality."

Personal life

Wood speaks Spanish,

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

, and

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Wood, Robert A. Year of birth missing (living people) Living people American diplomats United States Department of State officials City University of New York alumni