Vanessa Frazier, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict
On 3rd October 2025, Vanessa Frazier of Malta was appointed Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict.
Ms. Frazier, who recently served as Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Malta to the United Nations (UN) in New York, USA (2020-2025), brings multilateral diplomatic expertise, crisis management skills, consensus building and dedication to child protection, with ability to navigate complex global negotiations and broker agreements among diverse stakeholders, having played a pivotal role as Chair of the UN Security Council (UNSC) Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict. She presided over the UNSC in February 2023 and April 2024, and as UNSC Facilitator of the Iran/Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action agreement and Chair of the 1267 Sanctions Committee on Al Qaeda/Daesh, advanced human rights, child protection, and humanitarian language. As an advocate for the E10 group of elected UNSC members, she was instrumental in shaping international responses to pressing crises, ensuring that the voices of the most vulnerable, especially children, remained at the forefront with a focus on the protection of children affected by conflict. During her term representing Malta at the UN she also served as Vice President of the 74th UN General Assembly and Chair of the Second Committee (Economic and Financial), leading the first and only all-women bureau in UN history; co-Chaired the SIDS Pathway, was President of the States Parties to the UN Law of the Sea Convention, and co-facilitated the UN’s Anti Microbial Resistance process.
During her diplomatic career, Ms. Frazier was posted to Malta’s Embassies in Washington, Rome, London, Brussels and New York. She served as Malta’s ambassador to NATO, Belgium, Luxembourg, Italy, San Marino as well as Malta’s Permanent Representative to the Rome-based UN Agencies (FAO/WFP/IFAD) and was Malta’s Alternative Permanent Representative to the International Maritime Organisation as well as to the International Seabed Authority. Furthermore, she also served as Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Malta (2012-2013); as Ambassador for Migration, Office of the Prime Minister, Malta and she also oversaw Malta’s Defence Ministry from 2006-2011 serving concurrently as Malta’s National Security Advisor during this period.
Ms Frazier holds a Doctorate Honoris Causa in Humane Letters, Luther College, Decorah, Iowa, USA (2018-2019); a Master’s in Diplomatic Studies with a major in International Law, University of Malta (1993-1995). She is fluent in Maltese, English, and Italian.