Steering Group
Composition
The Steering Group is led by a State representative and is composed of 12 members appointed by a State, an intergovernmental or civil society organisation. The persons appointed are representing and express the views of the State or the organisation with which they are affiliated.
Argentina
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Worship
Costa Rica
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Worship
Denmark
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Republic of Ghana
National Peace Council
Switzerland
Federal Department of Foreign Affairs
The United Republic of Tanzania
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation
Harvard University
FXB Center for Health and Human Rights, Harvard School of Public Health
Genocide Prevention Advisory Network
Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect
International Coalition for the Responsibility to Protect
Liberation War Museum
Sant'Egidio Foundation for Peace and Dialogue
Subsidiary Bodies
The Steering Group has two subsidiary bodies: the Virtual Working Group on Partnerships and the Virtual Working Group on Regional and Thematic Initiatives. The Steering Group can create further subsidiary bodies whenever it considers it useful.
Chair
Current Chair
Christian Guillermet-Fernández
“I have always been personally and professionally committed to the protection of civilians, strengthening international human rights standards, and alleviating human suffering. I bring that commitment to the Presidency of GAAMAC. Now more than ever, in view of the difficult times we are facing, and international humanitarian law being disrespected and disregarded over and over again, we need to continue working together vigorously towards the strengthening of national architectures for prevention. Civilians matter and initiatives like GAAMAC allow people on the ground, grassroots organizations, and different stakeholders to engage, learn from each other, and create synergies to make the promise of never again a reality.”
Read bio
Mr. Christian Guillermet-Fernández is the Chair of GAAMAC. He has been a career diplomat in the Costa Rican foreign service since 1998 and, from April 2020 to June 2023, was appointed as Deputy Minister of Multilateral Affairs.
He has studies in Law and International Relations with extensive experience in multilateral affairs, human rights, peace and security, International Humanitarian Law, International Law, humanitarian disarmament, and he is a great connoisseur of multilateral dynamics and particularly the United Nations.
During his experience in the Foreign Service and in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Worship, he worked as Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative at the Permanent Mission of Costa Rica to the United Nations in New York (2019-2020); Director General of Foreign Policy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Costa Rica (2016-2018); Deputy Director General of Foreign Policy (2015-2016); Deputy Permanent Representative of Costa Rica to the United Nations in Geneva (2010-2015); Deputy Permanent Representative and Political Coordinator during Costa Rica’s membership in the Security Council at the Permanent Mission of Costa Rica to the United Nations in New York (2008-2009); Director General of Foreign Policy after working with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva and in Santiago, Chile as Regional Representative a.i. of the High Commissioner (2006-2008).
From 1993 to 1998, Mr. Guillermet-Fernández was an official in the Office of the Ombudsman of Costa Rica, at the beginning of the creation of the Institution. During his diplomatic career, he worked as Chair-Rapporteur of the United Nations Open-ended Working Group on the Right to Peace, among others. In addition, he has collaborated extensively with different universities and think tanks and has written for prestigious peer-reviewed journals worldwide.
Past Chairs
Silvia Fernández de Gurmendi +
Silvia Fernández de Gurmendi was the Chair of GAAMAC from 2020 to 2023. She is a former Judge and President of the International Criminal Court (ICC). She is currently the President of the Assembly of State Parties of the ICC and President of the Latin American Society of International Law. She has extensive diplomatic experience and expertise in international humanitarian and human rights law. Among other functions, she has been Special Representative of Argentina to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), Director General for Human Rights at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Argentina and legal adviser at the Permanent Mission of Argentina to the United Nations in New York. She has played a leadership role in the creation and setting up of the ICC. She holds a Law Degree from the University of Cordoba (Argentina), a Master Degree in Public Law from the University of Limoges (France) and a Ph.D. in Law from the University of Buenos Aires (Argentina). She speaks Spanish, English and French.
Mô Bleeker +
Related content
Global Meetings
