{{short description|Former Ambassador of Ireland (born 1952)}} {{About|the Irish diplomat|others with the same name|Anne Anderson (disambiguation){{!}}Anne Anderson}} {{Use Hiberno-English|date=September 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}} {{Infobox person | name = Anne Anderson | image = Anne Anderson (cropped).jpg | caption = Anne Anderson in May 2013 | birth_date = {{birth year and age|1952|7}} | birth_place = [[Clonmel]], [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]] | death_date = | death_place = | death_cause = | education = {{Plainlist | * [[University College Dublin]],<br />Bachelor of Arts (History and Politics) * [[King's Inns]], Diploma in Legal Studies }} | children = Claire Anderson-Wheeler | occupation = Irish ambassador to: {{Plainlist | * European Union * France * [[Monaco]] * [[United Nations]] * United States }} }} '''Anne Anderson''' (born July 1952) is a former Irish diplomat. She was the 17th ambassador of [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]] to the United States.<ref name="embassyofireland">[http://www.embassyofireland.org/home/index.aspx?id=30782 Message from Ambassador Anne Anderson on Arrival] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131002092133/http://www.embassyofireland.org/home/index.aspx?id=30782 |date=2 October 2013 }} Embassy of Ireland in the United States, 2013-09-05. Quote: "I am deeply honoured to have become Ireland's 17th Ambassador to the United States. I take over the baton from Michael Collins, who did so much over the past six years to advance and deepen relations between our two countries."</ref> She has also been Ambassador of Ireland to the [[United Nations]], the European Union, France, and [[Monaco]], the first woman to hold each of these positions.<ref name="cv">[http://www.irelandunnewyork.org/uploads/documents/New%20York%20PM/cv%20anne%20anderson%20en%20%283%29.pdf Anne Anderson Curriculum Vitae]{{dead link|date=October 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Permanent Mission of Ireland to the United Nations. Retrieved: 2013-09-17.</ref><ref name="voice">[http://www.irishcentral.com/IrishVoice/Irelands-first-female-ambassador-to-the-US-Anne-Anderson-on-representing-our-country-abroad-216797131.html Ireland's first female ambassador to the US Anne Anderson] Irish Voice, 2013-09-17.</ref>
==Personal life==
Anderson was born in [[Clonmel]], [[County Tipperary]], in July 1952.<ref name="cv" /> Her mother was from [[County Limerick]] and her father, who worked in the psychiatric health service, was from County Tipperary.<ref name="voice" /><ref name="washingtonpost">[https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/reliable-source/wp/2013/09/12/a-first-for-ireland-a-female-ambassador-to-washington/ A first for Ireland: A female ambassador to Washington] Washington Post, 2013-09-12.</ref> The family moved to [[Kilkenny]] when she was eight, and then to [[Portrane]], [[County Dublin]], when she was 11.<ref name="glass">[http://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/people/shattering-glass-in-dc-anne-anderson-on-a-life-of-diplomatic-firsts-1.1549021 Shattering glass in DC: Anne Anderson on a life of diplomatic firsts] Irish Times, 2013-10-05.</ref> She graduated from [[University College Dublin]] with a [[Bachelor of Arts]] degree (history and politics) at the age of 19, in 1972 <ref name="voice" /> and from [[King's Inns]], where she earned a diploma in legal studies.<ref name="cv" /><ref name="washdiplomat">[http://www.washdiplomat.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2702:her-excellency-anne-anderson&catid=196&Itemid=229 Her Excellency Anne Anderson] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130909083059/http://www.washdiplomat.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2702%3Aher-excellency-anne-anderson&catid=196&Itemid=229 |date= 9 September 2013 }} The Washington Diplomat. Retrieved: 2013-09-17.</ref> She has one adult daughter, Claire Anderson-Wheeler. Anderson is divorced; her partner is Frank Lowe, in [[New York City|New York]].<ref name="washingtonpost" /><ref name="glass" />
In 2016, she was awarded UCD Alumnus of the Year in Arts and Humanities.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2016 Awardees Archives |url=https://alumni.ucd.ie/awards/awardees/2016-awardees/ |access-date=2022-08-29 |website=UCD Alumni Awards |language=en-GB}}</ref>
==Career==
Anderson joined the Irish [[Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Ireland)|Department of Foreign Affairs]] in 1972. She was third secretary and then first secretary in the Department's Economic Division from 1972 to 1976. She moved to [[Geneva]], where she was first secretary of Ireland's [[Permanent Representative to the United Nations|Permanent Mission to the United Nations]] from 1976 to 1980, including a six-month assignment in [[Belgrade]].<ref name="voice" /> She was first secretary of the Political Division of the Department of Foreign Affairs from 1980 to 1983.
She moved to the United States, where she was economic attaché at the [[Embassy of Ireland in Washington, D.C.]] from 1983 to 1985, and press attaché from 1985 to 1987.<ref name="cv" /> Her interest in labour issues developed during this time and her appreciation of American problems and solutions was mentored by [[Irish American]] labour leaders [[Thomas R. Donahue|Tom Donahue]] and [[John Sweeney (labor leader)|John Sweeney]], lessons she continued to apply during her career. Her daughter, Claire, was born in Washington in 1985.<ref name="voice" /><ref name="glass" />
Back in Ireland, she was Counsellor in the Anglo-Irish Division of the Department of Foreign Affairs from 1987 to 1991, then Assistant Secretary General in Corporate Services from 1991 to 1995.<ref name="cv" /> During this time when the [[Anglo-Irish Agreement]] was being newly implemented, she worked on [[Employment discrimination|fair employment]] legislation for [[Northern Ireland]], applying to her work lessons learned in the United States about the principles of fair employment.<ref name="voice" />
She returned to Geneva when she was appointed Permanent Representative of Ireland to the United Nations from 1995 to 2001. While there, she was named as chair of the [[United Nations Commission on Human Rights]] from 1999 to 2000,<ref name="cv" /><ref name="un">[https://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2009/bio4115.doc.htm New Permanent Representative of Ireland Presents Credentials] United Nations Press Release, 2009-09-10.</ref> the fourth woman to earn the honour ([[Eleanor Roosevelt]] was the first). Her term at the commission coincided with former Irish president [[Mary Robinson]]'s term as [[Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights|United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights]].<ref name="voice" /> Anderson was also vice-president of the [[United Nations Conference on Trade and Development]] in 1997, and chair of the Trade Policy Review Body at the [[World Trade Organization]].<ref name="un" />
She moved on to [[Brussels]] to act as Permanent Representative of Ireland to the European Union from 2001 to 2005,<ref name="cv" /> where she was named Diplomat of the Year by ''[[European Voice]]'' when she headed the Irish team during Ireland's [[Presidency of the Council of the European Union]] in 2004.<ref name="cv" /><ref name="voice" /> [[File:Barack Obama and Anne Anderson.jpg|thumb|Ambassador of Ireland to the United States, Anne Anderson, with U.S. president, Barack Obama, on 17 September 2013.]] Anderson was Ireland's ambassador to France from July 2005 to 2009, and was concurrently the non-resident ambassador to Monaco from January 2007 to 2009. She moved from [[Paris]] to [[New York City]] when she became Permanent Representative of Ireland to the United Nations from 10 September 2009 to 2013.<ref name="cv" /><ref name="washdiplomat" /><ref name="un" />
She was appointed as the first female [[List of ambassadors of Ireland to the United States|ambassador of Ireland to the United States]]<ref name="Reliable">{{cite news |title=Michael Collins, long-serving Irish ambassador, prepares a farewell to Washington |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/reliable-source/wp/2013/06/19/michael-collins-long-serving-irish-ambassador-prepares-a-farewell-to-washington/ |access-date=18 August 2020 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=June 19, 2013}}</ref> by the [[Government of the 31st Dáil|Irish government]] on 15 January 2013.<ref name="clonmel">[http://clonmelonline.com/2013/01/clonmel-native-appointed-first-ever-female-ambassador-to-the-united-states/ Clonmel native appointed first ever female ambassador to the United States] Clonmel Online, 2013-01-17.</ref> She arrived in [[Washington, D.C.]] in August,<ref name="voice" /><ref name="washingtonpost" /> and presented her credentials to President [[Barack Obama]] at a ceremony in the White House [[Oval Office]] on 17 September.<ref name="independent">[http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/new-irish-ambassador-to-us-presents-credentials-to-barack-obama-29586466.html New Irish ambassador to US presents credentials to Barack Obama] Irish Independent, 2013-09-17.</ref> Anderson's stated agenda during her term in Washington included attention to U.S. [[immigration reform]] and its potential for undocumented Irish and other immigrants to achieve legal status. She focussed on economic matters and hoped to increase mutual trade, investment, and tourism between the two countries. She was also interested in exploring and building Ireland's cultural identity in the U.S. context by working with the cultural community.<ref name="embassyofireland" /><ref name="voice" /><ref name="independent" />
Anderson retired from the Department of Foreign Affairs on 27 June 2017 and was succeeded as Ireland's US ambassador the following August by [[Daniel Mulhall]].<ref>[https://www.irishcentral.com/news/irishvoice/anne-anderson-an-irish-ambassador-who-made-a-profound-difference-steps-down Anne Anderson, an Irish ambassador who made a profound difference, steps down] Irish Central, 2017-06-30.</ref><ref>[https://www.dfa.ie/irish-embassy/usa/about-us/ambassador/ Daniel Mulhall: Ambassador of Ireland to the United States of America] An Roinn Gnóthaí Eachtracha agus Trádála, 2017-08-28.</ref> At the invitation of UN Secretary General [[António Guterres]], Anderson subsequently joined his advisory board for the [[United Nations Peacebuilding Fund|Peacebuilding Fund]] for 2018/2019;<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-05-28|title=Sixth Secretary-General's Peacebuilding Fund Advisory Group|url=https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/personnel-appointments/2020-05-28/sixth-secretary-general%E2%80%99s-peacebuilding-fund-advisory-group|access-date=2020-12-29|website=United Nations Secretary-General|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Anne Anderson|url=https://irelandinc.com/anne-anderson/|access-date=2020-12-29|website=Ireland INC|language=en-GB}}</ref> she also currently serves on the board of advisers of the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at [[Georgetown University]];<ref>{{Cite web|title=Board of Advisers|url=https://isd.georgetown.edu/about/people/board/|access-date=2020-12-29|website=ISD|language=en-US}}</ref> on the board of directors for the [[Druid Theatre Company]];<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Druid Theatre Company Board of Directors|url=https://www.druid.ie/about-druid/the-druids/the-board|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=}}</ref> and as an independent director on the board of directors of [[Smurfit Kappa]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Appointment of Anne Anderson as an independent Director|url=https://www.smurfitkappa.com/us/newsroom/2018/appointment-of-anne-anderson-as-an-independent-director|access-date=2020-12-29|website=www.smurfitkappa.com|language=en}}</ref> She is the author of ''Thinking With My Pen: Speeches from a Life in Diplomacy''.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-12-03|title=Trailblazing Irish diplomat Anne Anderson reflects on her impactful career|url=https://www.irishcentral.com/opinion/anne-anderson-book|access-date=2020-12-29|website=IrishCentral.com|language=en}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category|Anne Anderson (diplomat)}} * [http://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/people/shattering-glass-in-dc-anne-anderson-on-a-life-of-diplomatic-firsts-1.1549021 ''Irish Times'' profile] * [http://www.irishcentral.com/IrishVoice/Irelands-first-female-ambassador-to-the-US-Anne-Anderson-on-representing-our-country-abroad-216797131.html ''Irish Voice'' profile] * [http://www.nui.ie/college/docs/citations/2011/nui/Anderson.pdf Address by the National University of Ireland President at the conferring of an honorary degree on Her Excellency, Anne Anderson] {{Presidents of the United Nations Human Rights Council}}{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Anderson, Anne}} [[Category:1952 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Ambassadors of Ireland to France]] [[Category:Ambassadors of Ireland to the United States]] [[Category:Permanent representatives of Ireland to the European Union]] [[Category:Permanent representatives of Ireland to the United Nations]] [[Category:Alumni of University College Dublin]] [[Category:People from Clonmel]] [[Category:20th-century Irish civil servants]] [[Category:21st-century Irish civil servants]] [[Category:21st-century diplomats]] [[Category:Alumni of King's Inns]] [[Category:Women ambassadors of Ireland]]