Joanneke Balfoort

Joanneke Balfoort is the Director Security and Defence policy at the European External Action Service. Joanneke has been with the Netherlands’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs for more than 25 years. She graduated from the University of Amsterdam with a law degree, specializing in international law, and a degree in political science. During her career at the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, she has worked as a project officer for human rights and humanitarian projects, responsible for political affairs at the Netherlands embassy in Moscow, first secretary within the Netherlands NATO delegation in Brussels, coordinator EU affairs within the Ministry and head of the economic section at the embassy in London. In September 2013, she arrived at the embassy in Washington, D.C. as the deputy head of mission. From 2017 till mid 2020 she was the Dutch Ambassador to the Political and Security Committee of the European Union in Brussels. Since June 2020 she is the Director Security and Defence policy at the European External Action Service.