Sonja Hyland has been a career diplomat since 1996 and is currently Deputy Secretary General for Global Issues & Director for the Ireland, UK & Americas Division at the Department of Foreign Affairs. Prior to this, she served as Political Director at the Department of Foreign Affairs, overseeing Ireland’s political relations.
DSG Hyland was formerly Ambassador of Ireland to Ethiopia, South Sudan, Djibouti, and the African Union from 2017 - 2019 and Ambassador to Mexico, Cuba, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Colombia, Venezuela, and Peru from 2013 - 2017. Other posts have included Director for Trade Promotion and Economic Messaging at the DFA, Deputy Director for Multilateral Affairs at DFA, Deputy Head of Mission of the Embassies of Ireland in Stockholm and Madrid and Ireland's Representative to the Political Military Group at the Permanent Representation of Ireland to the European Union in Brussels.
