Deputy Head of Mission

Deputy Head of Mission

Deputy Head of Mission


Emily Rakhorst

Deputy Head of Mission, Emily Rakhorst

Biography:

Ms Emily Rakhorst is an international legal advisor, specializing in conflict and post-conflict settings. With career spanning roles within European Union (EU) civilian crisis management missions, as well as the United Nations (UN), she dedicates herself to advancing justice for those affected by conflicts.

Ms Rakhorst holds a law degree, with a specialization in criminal justice, from the University of Groningen, the Netherlands. Her expertise lies in the domains of international criminal justice, specifically in addressing war crimes, fostering the rule of law, and coordinating comprehensive justice sector reforms.

Throughout her career, she assumed progressively responsible roles, often requiring extensive coordination with various justice stakeholders and donors. Notable milestones in her journey include providing instrumental support in the formation of a groundbreaking EU mission in Armenia, her role within the Planning team for the Kosovo Specialist Chambers and Registry in The Hague, and her contributions to the creation of a juvenile police force in the West Bank, aimed at safeguarding the rights of young individuals.

In her most recent capacity as Chief of Staff in the European Union Monitoring Mission (EUMM) in Georgia, she helmed an organization of around 350 dedicated staff members tasked with monitoring the EU-mediated Six Point Agreement which ended the August war in 2008.


Professional experience:

Present: Deputy Head of Mission, EULEX Kosovo
June 2021 - March 2023 - Chief of Staff, EUMM Georgia
October 2020 - June 2021 - Independent consultant on Rule of Law
April 2016 - September 2020 - Head of Court Management Unit, Registry of the ​Kosovo Specialist Chambers
February 2015 - April 2016 - Court Services Expert, Planning Team for the Kosovo Specialist Chambers and Registry - EULEX Kosovo
September 2013 - February 2015 - Independent consultant on Rule of Law
August 2008 - June 2013 - Justice Expert, EUPOL COPPS Palestine
February 2007 - August 2008 - Legal Officer, Chambers, International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY)
February 2004 - January 2007 - Associate Legal Officer, Chambers, ICTY
April 2000 - February 2004 - Judges’ clerk, District Court Amsterdam, Criminal Justice Section.