Koen Doens is Director-General for International Partnerships (before 16/01/2021 for International Cooperation and Development) at the European Commission since October 2019.

He joined the Commission in 2004 and was Head of Cabinet of Louis Michel, Commissioner in charge of Development and Humanitarian Aid during the 1st Barroso Commission (2004-2010) and Head of the Commission Spokespersons’ Service during the 2nd Barroso Commission (2010-2014).

After a period as Director for EU-Africa Relations, he became Deputy Director-General responsible for Africa, Asia, the Middle East/Gulf, the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean in the Directorate-General for International Cooperation and Development in March 2018.

A classical philologist by training, he was a professor of Latin and Greek before becoming a Belgian diplomat.

He has been posted in Syria, Iran and Russia and several Belgian ministerial cabinets.