Education:
Gunther Neumann holds a postgraduate degree in International Relations from the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna. He has studied History, Cultural Anthropology, Latin American Literature, Law, and Economics. He participated in an exchange program at the École Nationale d’Administration in Paris and has undergone extensive advanced training in international politics, conflict resolution, mediation, and humanitarian law (Wilton Park, ICRC, OSCE, UN, Salzburg Global Seminar, among others).
Professional Experience:
With over 20 years of experience, Gunther Neumann has served in senior roles within the OSCE, EU, UN, and various NGOs, focusing on diplomacy, mediation, and human rights. He has worked extensively in conflict and post-conflict regions, including Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Latin America. His expertise covers development, negotiations, and election observation missions in countries such as Armenia, Bolivia, DRC, Kyrgyzstan, and Peru.
Since 2011, he has been Vice President of the Herbert C. Kelman Institute for Interactive Conflict Transformation. Previously, he served as OSCE Deputy Director (1998-2005) and Executive Secretary for the Treaties on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe and Open Skies. His earlier roles include positions with the Austrian Mission to the EU, the European Commission in Vienna, and the Austrian Red Cross in Burkina Faso.
Gunther continues to work as an independent consultant on democracy, elections, mediation, and human rights. In 2010, he was nominated for the UN’s “Standby Team of Mediation Experts” by the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Languages:
Fluent in English, French, and Spanish; working knowledge of Portuguese, Greek, and Italian. Native German speaker.
Additional Contributions:
Gunther has lectured at various institutions, published extensively in international media, and worked as a freelance journalist in Asia and Central America.
