Niccolò Fontana new Italian Ambassador to Baghdad

(ANSA) - ROMA, 07 NOV - Niccolò Fontana took office today as Italian Ambassador to Baghdad. This was reported in a note from the Farnesina. "I take over the leadership of the Italian Embassy in Baghdad today with enthusiasm and pride. Italy and Iraq are two countries with a great history; millenary civilisations that look forward to a future of growth and development. I will do my utmost to bring 'more Italy to Iraq', consolidate the bilateral relationship and open new channels of cooperation, in many sectors,' he said.
    Born in Florence on 6 July 1975, after graduating from high school, Mr. Fontana graduated in Political Science from the 'Cesare Alfieri' Faculty of the University of Florence in 1999. Following a competitive examination, he was appointed probationary legationary secretary in the diplomatic career on 29 December 2000.
    After his first assignment at the Diplomatic Ceremonial of the Republic, in 2004 he took up the post of Second Commercial Secretary at the Italian Embassy in Santiago, Chile, where he was in charge of the Economic and Commercial Office in years of strong development of bilateral relations and constant growth of Italian trade and investment in the country.
    In 2008, he was appointed First Secretary at the Embassy in Washington, where he dealt with US domestic policy, relations with Congress and public diplomacy issues. In 2012, he returned to Rome to take up his post at the Press and Institutional Communication Service of the Farnesina, as Head of the Italian and Foreign Press Office.
    In 2014, he takes up a position as Head of the Economic and Trade Office at the Embassy in Moscow. In 2019 he is assigned, as first adviser, to the Permanent Representation of Italy to the United Nations in New York, where he deals with UN Security Council reform, procurement for the benefit of Italian companies and relations with Italian personnel in the UN system.
    Since 2022 he has served as Deputy Director General for Public and Cultural Diplomacy, and Central Director for Communication, at the Farnesina. In this capacity, he holds the position of spokesperson for the ministry, dealing with the institutional communication of the Farnesina and its diplomatic-consular network, and personally taking care of the Foreign Minister's communication during missions abroad and at international meetings and events in Italy. In 2024, he was appointed Ambassador of Italy to the Republic of Iraq.
    In 2013 he was awarded the Knighthood of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic. He served as a volunteer in the 7th Alpine Regiment in Feltre, also participating in the NATO Sfor mission in Bosnia.
    Married since 2003 to Tania Morrocchi, he is the father of Pietro, Ginevra and Cosimo.