John W. Ashe, CMG, Ph.D.
Ambassador/Permanent Representative to the United Nations
Antigua and Barbuda
John W. Ashe, who holds a Ph.D. in Bioengineering from the University of Pennsylvania, is Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador/Permanent Representative to the United Nations, its Ambassador to the World Trade Organization (WTO) and its chief negotiator for sustainable development matters. In 2004, Ashe was elected Chairman of thirteenth session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development.
In 2008, Ambassador Ashe will assume the Chairmanship of New York chapter of the Group of 77 and China, which consists of 133 developing countries that are members of the United Nations and is the largest Third World coalition in the United Nations. The Group 77 provides the means for the developing world to articulate and promote its collective economic interests and enhance its joint negotiating capacity on all major international economic issues in the UN system, and promote economic and technical cooperation among developing countries. As Chairman, Ashe will become the face and voice of the Group, and during this tenure he will be responsible for overseeing and delivering all of the Group’s statements, while sponsoring and negotiating resolutions and decisions at all UN global conferences and other meetings dealing with international economic cooperation and development.
In June 2007, Queen Elizabeth II of England awarded Ambassador Ashe a Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George (C.M.G.) in recognition of his diplomatic services.
