Who Is Nickolay Mladenov, Trump's Pick To Head Gaza Board Of Peace

Nickolay Mladenov, a former Bulgarian foreign and defense minister, has been appointed director-general of the United States-proposed “Board of Peace” to oversee the transition in Gaza after nearly two-and-a-half years of Israeli bombardment. As the ceasefire in the narrow strip hangs by a thread, sporadic strikes at the hands of Israel continue to be reported.  

Mladenov, 53, will act as the link between the US initiative and a technocratic committee led by former Palestinian Authority deputy minister Ali Shaath. His responsibilities include implementing a 20-point ceasefire plan, overseeing reconstruction efforts, disarming Hamas, and managing daily governance for Gaza's remaining residents.

Who Is Nickolay Mladenov?

• Nikolay Mladenov was born on May 5, 1972, in Sofia, Bulgaria. He graduated in 1995 from the University of National and World Economy with a degree in international relations and earned a master's in war studies from King's College London in 1996.
• Mladenov began his political career with Bulgaria's centre-right GERB party. He served as a Member of the European Parliament from 2007 to 2009.
• In 2013, Mladenov served as Bulgaria's Defence Minister at age 37. A few months later, he became Bulgaria's Foreign Minister, a role he held for three years.
• He served as the UN Special Representative for Iraq.
• From 2015 to 2020, Mladenov was the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process. During this period, he engaged with Israel, the Palestinian Authority, and Hamas and developed a reputation as a “firefighter” able to talk to all sides.
• Since 2021, he has been director-general of the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy in Abu Dhabi.

Role Of Nickolay Mladenov

The US appointed Mladenov as director-general of the US-proposed “Board of Peace”, following the Arab veto of Tony Blair.

Mladenov oversees the new “technocratic committee” headed by Ali Shaath. The group is responsible for managing daily life for Gaza's two million residents who have lost family members, homes, hospitals, and schools in ongoing Israeli bombardment.

The committee faces a legitimacy challenge where Israel controls a “buffer zone” covering more than half of Gaza and refuses to fully withdraw. Mladenov must work to gain the cooperation of Palestinian factions while coordinating under a US-led board that includes Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, and former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair.