Ellen Margrethe Løj Retired Danish Ambassador
Appointed as Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) and Head of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), Ms. Løj assumed her duties in Juba on 2 September 2014, a position she held until December 2016. Prior to that she served as Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) and Head of the United Nations Mission in Liberia from January 2008 to January 2012.
Previously, she was Ambassador of Denmark to the Czech Republic and prior to that, from 2001 to 2007, she was Permanent Representative of Denmark to the United Nations. In that capacity she represented Denmark on the Security Council 2005-2006. She was also the Chairman of the Security Council Sanctions Committee on Liberia and Chairman of the Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee from 2005-2006.
After serving two terms as the Under-Secretary, first for Multilateral and then for Bilateral Affairs, Ms. Løj became State Secretary of the Denmark’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 1996 to 2001, responsible for relations with Latin America, Africa and Asia including Danish International Development Assistance (DANIDA). Prior to those Ministry postings, she served as her country’s Ambassador to Israel from 1989 to 1992.
Ms. Løj began her diplomatic career with a Foreign Ministry position in 1973. Between 1977 and 1986, she served as First Secretary of Embassy at her country’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations and then as Counsellor at Denmark’s representation to the European Union in Brussels. From 1986 to 1989, she was Head of Department in the Ministry.
In addition to her diplomatic appointments, Ms. Løj was on the supervisory board of Scandlines AG and Scandlines A/S from 1998 to 2001. From 1994 to 1996, she was a member of two advisory boards, that of the Industrialization Fund for Developing Countries and of the Investment Fund for Central and Eastern Europe.
From 2012-2014 she was chairman of the International Board and Members Assembly of Plan International and she also served as a member of the Board of Center for Humanitarian Dialogue as well as International Alert.
Born in Gedesby, Denmark, Ms. Løj graduated from Copenhagen University in 1973 with a Master’s degree in political science.
