Ester Ruiz de Azua is taking over as head of mission of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to Moldova. She met today with Foreign Affairs state secretary Mihov Sergiu to present her credentials.
Ester Ruiz de Azua officially took office in July 2024. She has worked for almost 20 years in the management and supervision of complex and diverse operations in Africa, Europe, America and the Middle East, according to a press release from IOM Moldova.
Prior to her position, she served as IOM’s Emergency and Post-Crisis Program Coordinator in Ethiopia (2019-2024) and Ukraine (2014-2019), where she coordinated the humanitarian response to the displacement crisis, supported stabilization efforts and recovery and promoted the integration and social cohesion of migrants and host communities.
Ester Ruiz de Azua joined IOM in 2010 as Project Manager and Grants Manager in Camp Coordination and Management (CCCM) in Haiti, and then as Coordinator of the Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) in South Sudan (2014).
Her professional experience includes managing positions for NGOs operating in Lebanon, Georgia and Niger.
Ester Ruiz de Azua is originally from Spain. She holds a Bachelor of Law degree from the Autonomous University of Barcelona and postgraduate degrees in Community Law, Commercial Technician, International Development Agent and International Electoral Observation from the University of Barcelona, the Polytechnic University of Barcelona, and the University of Valencia.
According to IOM Moldova, Ester Ruiz de Azua has extensive experience in managing challenges and opportunities related to migration in crisis, transition and development contexts.
