Michael KÖHLER

Deputy Director-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations, DG ECHO, European Commission, Brussels, since 2019. From April 2022 to March 2023 Acting Director-General.

Ambassador and Co-lead of the Grand Bargain to improve the international humanitarian aid system.

Professor at the College of Europe, Department for General Studies since 1997.

Michael Köhler held various posts in the European Commission since 1994, with responsibilities for the Middle East, the Mediterranean, CFSP, the EU Integrated Maritime Policy and multilateral cooperation in the Directorate General External Relations, Directorate "Middle East and South Mediterranean" from 1994 to 2001, then Deputy Head of Unit in the Directorate CFSP - Policy Coordination 2001-2004, Deputy Head of Cabinet of Commissioner Joe Borg 2004-2007, Head of Unit for international relations and Law of the Sea, DG MARE, 2007-2008, Head of Cabinet of Commissioner Joe Borg in charge of maritime policy and fisheries 2008-2010, Head of Cabinet of Commissioner Günther H. Oettinger in charge of energy policy, Director for the Neighbourhood (East and South), DG DEVCO, 2013-2014, and Director for the Neighbourhood South, DG NEAR 2015-2019.

Before entering the European public service Michael Köhler was Representative of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Morocco 1987-1990 and Tunisia 1990-1993. Between 1993 and1994 he served in the Policy Planning Division of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Studied Medieval and Modern History, Oriental Studies, Comparative Religion, Theology and International Law at Bonn, Tübingen and Hamburg Universities.

Dr. phil. in 1987.

Other assignments:

1993-2000 external lecturer at the University of Bonn, Department of Oriental Studies

1997-1999 Associate Fellow of the Royal Institute of International Affairs, Chatham House, London Senior Fellow

2000-2015 Zentrum für Europäische Integrationsforschung, Universität Bonn

Since 2019 reader in peacebuilding at Sciences Po Paris

Since 1994 various other teaching commitments at the Centre des Etudes et Recherches Economiques et Sociales (CERES), Tunis, Sciences Po Paris, the Sorbonne Nouvelle (Paris) and the Centre des études européennes de Strasbourg (CEES)

Michael Köhler chairs the DGAPforum Brüssel of the German Council on Foreign Relations DGAP and is Honorary Chairman of the Brussels section of Europa-Union Deutschland

Published more than 30 books, articles and studies on the political, security economic and cultural development of the Muslim World, on the Arab League and on regional integration in the Maghreb

Various scholarships and memberships in research societies