Dublin Dublin

Ambassador

Mrs. Kairi Künka was born on April 14th 1967 in Tallinn, Estonia and served as the Consul General of Estonia in New York (2017-2022). Mrs. Künka earned a master’s degree in law at the University of Tartu in Estonia, receiving the cum laude designation. She has perfected her studies at several universities in Finland, Hungary and the Netherlands. After working as a lawyer at the Estonian Cooperative Union, she started her long-time diplomatic career at the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1992.

She has been a long time member of the Estonian Academic Law Society since 1988 and a member of the Estonian Branch of International Law Association since 1996. She is the founding member and the President of the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Family Association since 2012. She is married with the former Estonian Ambassador to the UN Mr. Sven Jürgenson and they have three children.

I EDUCATION

  • 1994 Netherlands Institute of International Relations Clingendael
  • 1992–1994 University of Helsinki, Faculty of Law, Finland
  • 1990 University of Budapest, Faculty of Law, Hungary
  • 1985–1990 University of Tartu, Faculty of Law, cum laude (master’s degree)

II PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

  • 2022–… Ambassador of the Republic of Estonia to Ireland
  • 2017–2022 Consul General, Consulate General of Estonia in New York
  • 2015–2017 A leave of absence, a spouse of Estonian Ambassador to the United Nations in New York
  • 2011–2015 A leave of absence, a spouse of Estonian Ambassador to France, Monaco and Tunisia in Paris
  • 2011 Acting Director General of the Legal Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
  • 2004–2010 Director of the International Law and Law-making Division, Legal Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
  • 2000–2003 A leave of absence, a spouse of Estonian Ambassador to the United States of America, Canada and Mexico in Washington, DC
  • 2001–2003 Estonian language teacher at the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) in Washington, DC
  • 1998–2000 A leave of absence, a spouse of Estonian Ambassador to the United Nations in New York
  • 1996–1997 Director of the Division for International Law and Law-Making, Legal Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
  • 1994–1995 International Law and Law-making Division, Legal department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
  • 1992–1994 Consular Officer, Estonian Embassy in Helsinki, Finland
  • 1990–1992 Lawyer, Estonian Cooperative Union

III PUBLIC ACTIVITIES

  • 2021–… Member of the Filiae Patriae
  • 2012–… President of the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Family Association, founding member from 2004
  • 2006–2014 Estonian delegate to EUFASA (The European Union Foreign Affairs Spouses/Partners/Families Association)
  • 1988–…Member of the Estonian Academic Law Society
  • 1996–…Member of the Estonian Branch of International Law Association

 Languages

  • Estonian, English, Finnish, Russian