Renate Hahlen is a European Union (EU) official, on post as Minister Counsellor (Development) at the EU Delegation Washington D.C. She is responsible for the EU development and international cooperation relations with the US administration, the World Bank Group, the IMF and the Inter-American Development Bank. She represents the EU in an international commodity body, i.e. the International Cotton Advisory Body.
She joined the European Commission in 1996 and has extended experience in EU external action and development policy. In 2013-14 she managed the unit Aid and Development Effectiveness and Financing of the Directorate General for International Cooperation and Development. Before, she steered the relations and coordination between the European Commission and the EU Member States as development assistance providers. As a specialist in development finance and aid and development effectiveness she closely followed relevant multilateral processes (UN, OECD).
Previously she worked on the EU external relations with Algeria, Jordan, Vietnam and Laos and held posts in the German federal administration related to international and bilateral debt initiatives for developing countries and on EU-related issues.
Ms. Hahlen studied in Germany, Switzerland, and Turkey, graduated in law and holds a Ph.D. in international private and comparative law (Freiburg University, Germany). She is a mother of two grown-up sons.