Bettina Muscheidt, the new European Union Ambassador to Nicaragua is now in-country and will present her credentials at a formal ceremony later this week in Managua after which she will make an official start to her term as head of the EU diplomatic mission in Nicaragua.
Muscheidt was appointed European Union Ambassador to Nicaragua on the 4th of August 2021. She was previously the Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Libya and prior to that Head of Delegation of the European Union to Yemen.
Ambassador Muscheidt is a career diplomat and has extensive experience working in a variety of EU institutions, including; the European External Action Service (EEAS), European Commission and European Investment Bank (EIB).
Muscheidt is a citizen of Germany and holds a Master of Agriculture and Economic Development Degree from the University of Bonn (Germany) and an International Master of Arts from The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy / Tufts University (United States).
Previous EU Ambassador to Nicaragua
Bettina Muscheidt replaces Pelayo Castro who concluded his term as European Ambassador to Nicaragua on the 26th of August 2021, having transferred from Costa Rica in September 2019 after holding the same position.
In his final address before moving on, Pelayo Castro reflected on his time in Nicaragua and the focus of the mission on “defending and making known the values, interests and principles of the European Union, and on strengthening the commitment and solidarity of the EU with the Nicaraguan people, especially with the most vulnerable”.
Ambassador Pelayo Castro participated closely in the creation of the EEAS and his career includes service in a variety of different institutions, including EU Ambassador to Costa Rica. He is now the EU Head of Division for Egypt, Syria, Lebanon & Jordan.
EAAS
The European External Action Service (EEAS) is the European Union’s diplomatic service. It helps the EU’s foreign affairs chief – the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy to carry out the Union’s Common Foreign and Security Policy.
See “Trivia” in this previous Nica-Biz link on what is meant by an Ambassador presenting their credentials.
