Belgian foreign minister Lahbib appoints diplomat Jan Hoogmartens as director of her cabinet

Diplomat Jan Hoogmartens will become director of Foreign minister Hadja Lahbib's cabinet. The minister announced the news on Friday.

As of July, Hoogmartens will follow in the footsteps of Antoine Evrard, who will become ambassador to Japan. "This experience will be invaluable as Belgium prepares to take over the rotating EU presidency in the first half of 2024," minister Lahbib (MR) said in a press release.

In the past, Hoogmartens worked at the cabinets of Flemish liberals Karel De Gucht, Patrick Dewael and Alexander De Croo, the current prime minister of Belgium. Hoogmartens is currently the ambassador to China. He previously served as Belgium's Deputy Permanent Representative (Coreper I) to the European Union.

Jan Hoogmartens holds a doctorate in philosophy of law (London University), a law degree (KUL and Hong Kong University) and a degree in Germanic language and literature (KUL).

^{© BELGA PHOTO NICOLAS MAETERLINCK}