Andrew Gilmour
Executive Director
Executive Office
Berlin, Germany
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Andrew Gilmour is Executive Director of the Berghof Foundation. Before joining the Berghof Foundation in May 2020, Andrew served 30 years at the United Nations, most recently as Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights from 2016 to 2019 and as Political Director in the Office of the Secretary-General in New York from 2012 to 2016. He previously held senior UN positions in numerous conflict zones including Iraq, South Sudan, the Middle East, the Balkans, Afghanistan and West Africa.
With masters degrees from Oxford University and the London School of Economics, Andrew was later an Adjunct Fellow of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, D.C. In 2019 Andrew was awarded a Visiting Fellowship at All Souls College Oxford to research links between climate change, human rights and conflict. In 2020 he became a Senior Fellow at the School of Oriental and African Studies, London. His writing has appeared in numerous publications such as the New York Times, Financial Times and many others.
A British national whose home-base is in Scotland, Andrew is married with four children. His interests are in classical music, forestry, environment, literature and history.
Deutsch
Andrew Gilmour ist Geschäftsführer der Berghof Foundation. Bevor er im Mai 2020 zu uns kam, arbeitete er 30 Jahre bei den Vereinten Nationen, zuletzt als stellvertretender Generalsekretär für Menschenrechte von 2016 bis 2019 und von 2012 bis 2016 als politischer Direktor im Büro des Generalsekretärs in New York. Zuvor bekleidete er bei der UN leitende Positionen in zahlreichen Konfliktgebieten, darunter der Irak, Südsudan, der Nahe Osten, der Balkan, Afghanistan und Westafrika.
Andrew hat Master-Abschlüsse von der Universität Oxford und der London School of Economics und war später Adjunct Fellow am Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, D.C. 2019 erhielt er ein Visiting Fellowship am All Souls College Oxford um Zusammenhänge zwischen Klimawandel, Menschenrechten und Konflikten zu erforschen. 2020 wurde er Senior Fellow an der School of Oriental and African Studies in London. Seine Artikel sind in zahlreichen Publikationen wie der New York Times, Financial Times und vielen mehr erschienen.
Andrew ist britischer Staatsbürger mit Wohnsitz in Schottland, er ist verheiratet und hat vier Kinder. In seiner freien Zeit widmet er sich der klassischen Musik, Literatur und Geschichte sowie der Fortwirtschaft und Umwelt.
Media work and expertise
Expertise
- Countries/regions: Middle East, Africa, Iraq, Afghanistan, Western Balkans
- Topics/themes: UN and peace operations; Human rights; Protection of human rights defenders; Climate change and conflict
Select published works
- ‘The role of the UN Secretary-General in the Middle East: A historical assessment 1945-2016’, the principal chapter in Land of Blue Helmets. The United Nations and the Arab World, University of California Press (2016)
- ‘The future of human rights: A view from the UN’, Journal of Ethics and International Affairs (2014)
Keynote Speeches
- Human Rights and Science Symposium, 2021: 'Ways to mitigate the impact of climate change on conflict'
Interviews
- Culture Summit, 2020: 'Complex role of culture in conflict'
- The National, 3 Jul 2020: 'How we can end conflict in Syria and beyond'
- Economist, 18 Jun 2020: 'The UN has too much on its plate'
- Holyrood, 3 Mar 2020: '"Climate change is going to bring the worst human rights violations of all time" - interview with Andrew Gilmour'
- Associated Press, 27 Dec 2019: 'UN official: Past decade has seen human rights "backlash"'
Op/eds
- Der Spiegel, 11 Aug 2022: 'Der Westen sollte mit den Taliban reden'
- der Freitag, 07 Apr 2022: "It would be a terrible mistake to forget about the major crises around the world."
- FAZ, 12 Aug 2021: Neue Allianzen gegen Klimakonflikte (with Ottmar Edenhofer/ PIK)
- The Spectator, 4 Jan 2021: 'On the death of a diplomat: Brian Urquhart 1919-2021'
- Bloomberg, 2 Feb 2020: 'Preventing climate change is a human rights issue'
- New York Times, 9 Dec 2019: 'The children of ISIS don’t belong in cages, either'
- Financial Times, 9 Dec 2019: 'Human rights are suffering an onslaught of attacks'
- United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Peoples, 2019: 'HCDH | Statement by Andrew Gilmour, Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, at the 18th session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Peoples'
- Bloomberg, May 2018: 'Pregnant Rohingya refugees are in desperate need'
- The Guardian, May 2018: 'Imprisoned, threatened and silenced: human rights workers across Asia are in danger'
- OHCHR, 11 May 2018: 'Afghanistan: Senior UN rights official urges more action to end attacks on civilians'
- Newsweek, 2015: 'Escape from Dunkirk: Hitler's four strategic mistakes'
- The Nation, 9 September 2013: 'Dag Hammarskjold: Statesman of the Century'
Video and audio clips
BBC World News, 21 Apr 2022
DW News, 14 Apr 2022
DW News, 'To the point', 19 Aug 2021
DW News, 'To the point', 2 Jul 2020
'Changing climate, changing conflicts', Berlin Climate and Security Conference (2020)
Sustainable Development Goals panel, Human Rights Film Festival Berlin (2020)
Keynote address, Human Rights Film Festival Berlin (2020)
Financial Times podcast, 4 Mar 2020
'A Scots view from the UN' The first Inspirational Alba Lecture, Adam Smith House, Edinburgh, January 2020
'Human rights: A global crisis', Edinburgh International Cultural Summit (2020)
Andrew Gilmour, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights receives Sir Brian Urquhart Award, 1 Nov 2019