Aivo Orav

Aivo Orav (born 10 April 1965 in Pärnu) is an Estonian diplomat. Orav is the Permanent Representative of Estonian to the E.U. since 2020. Before that, Orav has been the Head of EU Delegation in Montenegro and Head of EU Delegation in North Macedonia, and Ambassador of Estonia in several countries.

Education
Orav graduated from the Faculty of Physics and Chemistry of the University of Tartu (1990) and later from the Estonian Diplomatic School in Tallinn (1992).

Since 1992, Orav served the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

From 1995–1998, Orav was the Permanent Representation of Estonia at the OSCE in Vienna.

From 1998 to 2000, Orav was Security Policy Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

From 2000–2005, Orav was the Ambassador of Estonia in Poland with co-accreditation to Bulgaria and Romania. Since 2005, Orav is the non-resident ambassador in North Macedonia.

After the end of his term in Poland in August 2005, Orav returned to Estonia, where he worked as the Political Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

2008-2012 Orav was the Estonian Ambassador to Turkey with co-accreditation to Azerbaijan, Lebanon and Macedonia.

2012 Orav joined the E.U. External Action Service and worked as E.U Ambassador to North Macedonia until 2016 and then as EU Ambassador to Montenegro 2016-2020.

Orav is Estonian Permanent Representative to the European Union since September 2020.

Diplomatic posts

 * 2000–2005 Ambassador of Estonia to Poland
 * 2005–2012 Ambassador of Estonia to the Republic of North Macedonia (residing in Poland, Estonia, Turkey)
 * 2008–2012 Ambassador of Estonia to Turkey
 * 2012-2016 EU Ambassador to the Republic of North Macedonia
 * 2016-2020 EU Ambassador to Montenegro
 * Since 2020 – Ambassador of Estonia, Permanent Representative (Permanent Representation of Estonia to the EU)

Awards

 * 2002: Krzyź Komandorski z Gwiazda Orderu Zazługi Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej
 * 2005: Order of the White Star, IV class.
 * 2005: Order of The Madara Horseman, 1st Class, Bulgaria
 * 2020: The Honorary Silver Medal of Jan Masaryk, Czech Republic
 * 2022: Cross of Merit of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia, 2nd Class
 * 2023: The Silver Honorary Decoration of the Ministry of Interior of Estonia
 * 2023: Cross of Merit of the Ministry of Defence of Estonia, 3rd class
 * 2024: Order of the National Coat of Arms, 3rd class, Estonia