Edita Hrdá
Edita HRDÁ
Directora General para las Américas, European External Action Service, EEAS
Before becoming Managing Director for the Americas at the EEAS, Ms. Hrdá was appointed Ambassador of the Czech Republic to the United Nations in 2011; a position she held for 5 years. Her professional career includes important positions; she was President of the Executive Board of UNDP, UNFPA, UNOPS in 2011 and Chair of the Committee for the United Nations Population Award in 2013, 2014 and 2015.
As Ambassador of the Czech Republic to 11 Caribbean countries, since June 2011, she is responsible for bilateral relations between the respective countries and OECS.
Between 2006 and 2010, Ms. Hrdá worked as General Director for the Section of the Minister - Chief of Staff and Chief of Cabinet, with her main responsibilities covering the management of the Policy Planning Department, Diplomatic Academy and the Institute of International Relations in Prague, the management of the Press Department and Spokesperson of the Ministry, Department of Public Information, Library and Archive of the Czernin Palace, Cabinet of the Minister, Diplomatic Protocol Department, Inspection General and Audit, overseeing Public Diplomacy Department, dealing with national and international audiences, devising public communication strategies, cultural programming, academic grants, educational exchanges, international visitor programs and being in charge of human resources and personnel assignments for the Ministry.
Ms. Hrdá was General Director of the Economic and Cultural Section between 2006 and 2007. She was also member of the Supervisory Board of the Czech Export Bank as well as the Supervisory Board of the Czech Export Guarantee and Insurance Corporation.
Her career includes having been Director of the American Department between 2004 and 2005 and Director of Multilateral Economical Affairs in 2004.
She was Ambassador of the Czech Republic to Argentina and Paraguay between 1999 and 2003.
Between 1996 and 1998 Ms. Hrdá was Director of the Central European Department, coordinating bilateral political relations with Central European countries and with Central European Initiative and Visegrad Group; she chaired six bilateral commissions on cross-border cooperation with neighboring countries and members of board of Euroregions.
During the same period, she was the Czech Republic´s Chief negotiator of the Czech-German post- World War II financial indemnification including negotiations towards establishing the Czech-German Fund for the Future and of the Czech-German Discussion Forum (1996-1998).
She was Director of the Latin American Department from 1994 to 1996 and Counsellor to the First Deputy Minister in 1993, as well as a Desk Officer in Germany, Austria and Switzerland in 1992.
Earlier in her career she worked at the Institute of Advance Management, Prague, Czech Republic (1990 -1992). Ms. Hrdá is a professional translator and interpreter as well as a University and High School Lecturer. Since 1995, she has been teaching Latin American history and policy development, Diplomatic Protocol and Public Relations.
Besides Czech, her mother tongue, she masters German, English, Spanish, Russian and French.
She has been honoured with the following awards:
- 1998 The Medal “pro Merito” of the Czech Union of Freedom Fighters
- 2003 The Order of Libertador General San Martín, Grand Cross, Argentina
- 2006 The Order of the Sun, Grand Cross, Peru
- 2009 The Silver Medal “Pro Merito Maltiensi” of the Sovereign Order of Malta
Ms Hrdá is married to Mr. Jozef Šepetka and has a daughter, Debora.
