H.E. Nicholas Brousseau was appointed Ambassador to Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan in 2017.
He joined Foreign Affairs Canada in 2004. At Headquarters, he has worked in the European Union Division and the Eastern Europe and Balkans Division. He has also served as deputy director in the Nuclear Disarmament, Arms Controls and Disarmament Policy Division and as senior departmental adviser to the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Overseas, he has served at the Permanent Mission to the United Nations, the Embassy to Russia and the Embassy to Romania, where he was the head of the political section and was also accredited to Bulgaria and Moldova. Prior to being named Ambassador, he was the Senior Departmental Advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Nicholas Brousseau holds a PhD [History] from the University of Paris 1 (Panthéon-Sorbonne), 2005.

Virginia Lukšienė has a professional experience in the organic sector for 15 years. She is a member of the Board and Council of the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (www.ifoam-eu.org) and Director of the Lithuanian company Ekoagros (www.ekoagros.lt). Responsible for the development of organic certification services in Lithuania and outside the EU.

Since 2016, an Executive Director at the National Union of Producers and Consumers of Organic Products of the Russian Federation (The National Organic Union). More than 12 years engaged in the development of organic agriculture in Russia. Since 2010, as a Deputy General Director, he was engaged in the formation of organic agricultural direction at the enterprises of the Corporation “Organic” in the Moscow region (one of the pioneers of organic in the Russian Federation). In 2013, he became one of the initiators of the creation of the National Organic Union, for 3 years he was a member of its Board. One of the initiators and active participants in the formation of the organic market of Russia, participated in the development and adoption of the Russian law “On organic products” and national standards. A Member of the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) working group “Organic agriculture”.

Marat has extensive experience working in Kazakhstan on various projects involving private, public and quazi-government sector. He is a seasoned manager with thorough understanding of Kazakhstan’s regulatory and business environment and has managed multi-national research teams working in Kazakhstan in areas of flood management, rangeland health assessment and water resource management. His recent work in agriculture sector includes an Integrated Rangeland Assessment project in Akmola oblast, as well as water efficiency monitoring project in Turkestan. Both projects aim to provide accurate assessment of the state of natural resources in respective region using cutting-edge satellite remote sensing technology, machine learning and drone images.

Mr. Bahodir Ganiev is Senior Advisor at the Center for Economic Development (CED), a think tank based in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. He helps CED staff conduct applied research and formulate policy recommendation aimed at strengthening macroeconomic management and improving the business environment in Uzbekistan. He often carries out consulting assignments for the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and other development institutions. Previously, he taught international economics at Westminster International University in Tashkent and was a staff member of ADB. He also worked as a staff member and/or consultant for the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

Mr. Ganiev has extensive experience in designing, implementing and evaluating development projects and programs. His work experience covers about 20 Asian and Eastern European countries. His research interests include trade policy and trade facilitation, regional economic cooperation and integration, international remittances and inclusive economic growth. He has authored, or contributed to, many publications on economic policies and development issues in countries of Central Asia, the South Caucasus, and Southeast Asia.

Mr. Ganiev holds a master’s degree in international affairs from Columbia University and a Ph.D. degree in economics from Tashkent State University of Economics.