Eleonora Mitrofanova

Former Chairman of the Federal Agency for CIS States, Compatriots Living Abroad and International Humanitarian Affairs

General Biographical Information 

• Eleonora Mitrofanova was born on June 11, 1953, in the city of Stalingrad (currently Volgograd), RSFSR, USSR, in the family of an influential Soviet public servant, Valentin Mitrofanov.
• In 1975, she graduated from the Moscow State Institute of International Relations with the specialty of international economic relations.
• From 1975 to 1990, was first an aspirant, then a researcher at the marine transport project SoiuzMorniiProekt.
• She has been awarded the title of the doctor of economic sciences.
• She is the Real State Advisor of the Third Class of Russian Federation (2007) and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary (2010).
• She has been awarded numerous orders and medals.
• She has published scientific papers on the problems of international transport connections.

Professional Career

• From 1990 to 1993, Mitrofanova was the General Director of a law firm Ekoleks in Moscow.
• From 1993 to 1995, she was an MP of the First State Duma from the Liberal-Democratic Party. On May 11, 1995, her tenure as MP was terminated ahead of time due to her moving to the public sector.
• From 1995 to 2001, she was an auditor at the Russian Chamber of Control, curating the issues of state debt control and banking system.
• Her diplomatic career started from 2001. From 2001 to 2003, she was the Deputy General Secretary of UNESCO in Management and Administrative Issues.
• From May 21, 2003, she served as the First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia. She was the first woman in Russian history to be appointed to the position of First Deputy Minister. Mitrofanova was responsible for protecting the rights of compatriots living abroad and developing international cultural ties. Her priorities included protecting the rights of compatriots in CIS countries, strengthening positions of the Russian language in CIS area and supporting Russian-speaking pensioners. She was first Deputy to Igor Ivanov, then to Sergey Lavrov. She occupied the position of Deputy Minister until August 13, 2004.
• From 2004 to 2009, she headed the Russian Center for International Scientific and Cultural Cooperation (Росзарубежцентр) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia. She was removed from her position due to the abolition of the Center. Instead of it, the Federal Agency for CIS States, Compatriots Living Abroad and International Humanitarian Affairs was established, where Mitrofanova became a Chairman in 2017.
• In 2009, she was elected as the 2010-2011 Chairman of UNESCO Executive Council. In 2011-2012, she was the Chairman of UNESCO World Heritage Committee.
• On October 25, 2016, she was appointed as Ambassador-at-Large of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russian Federation. She curated the issues of supporting the learning of Russian language abroad as well as world cultural heritage and those connected to relations with Latin America. In November 2016, Mitrofanova stated that Russia needs to protect Russian language and the rights of Russian-speaking population abroad to speak in their native language in CIS area first. According to her, it should be a priority task for Russia to find certain legal forms for the status of the Russian language in the constitutions and practices of the neighboring states.
• On December 19, 2017, President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, appointed Mitrofanova as Chairman of the Federal Agency for CIS States, Compatriots Living Abroad and International Humanitarian Affairs. She replaced Liubov Glebova on this position, who had chaired the Agency from March 23, 2015 to September 14, 2017. The position of the Chairman of the Agency was vacant for several months, which could be explained by confrontation between various groups within the Kremlin. According to popular opinion, Mitrofanova’s appointment was being hindered by powerful Deputy Head of Presidential Administration, Sergei Kirienko, whose protégée was considered to be Glebova. Apart from this, Mitrofanova’s brother, who is wanted by the Russian law enforcement structures, was also considered to be a hindrance. Aleksey Mitrofanov is a famous Russian politician, who is the former member of the Liberal-Democratic Party, as well as the Just Russia Party. He was a member of the State Duma since 1993. In 2014, he was stripped of his MP immunity and criminal proceedings were commenced against him, with a search also declared for him.
• After her appointment as the Chairman of the Agency, among her priorities Mitrofanova named the development of cooperation with the CIS states in the field of culture, expanding the teaching of Russian language in CIS area and training teachers. Also, according to her statement, in the countries with which Russia has certain difficulties, it is necessary to create an environment suitable for dialogue.
• On June 9, 2020, Mitrofanova has resigned. 

Relations with Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region

• On 3-5 March, 2018, an international forum for compatriots entitled “Together with Russia” was held in Moscow, organized by the “Russian World” Foundation. Representatives from Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region also participated in the Forum. Mitrofanova delivered a speech at the Forum.
• On July 26-27, 2018, forum of the young diplomats of Eurasian states was held in Moscow, in which representatives from Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region also participated. Mitrofanova also delivered a speech at the Forum.
• On September 21, 2018, the President of the de facto Trade-Industry Chamber of Abkhazia, Tamila Mertskhulava, participated in the Female-Diplomat Summit of the Second Eurasian Women’s Forum. Mitrofanova was also a moderator of the meeting. Female diplomats of foreign countries, working in Russia, also participated in the Forum.
• On October 7, 2018, in one of the interviews, Mitrofanova stated that Russian compatriots are living all around the world, including tens of thousands in “South Ossetia.” According to her statement, the priority of the Agency is post-Soviet area and also a large number of people who speak Russian.