The European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX) has officially announced a transition in its top leadership. Following the conclusion of Major General Giovanni Pietro Barbano’s three-year term, Deputy Head of Mission Emily Rakhorst has been appointed as the Head of Mission ad interim (acting chief).
Rakhorst will assume full operational command of the largest civilian deployment under the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) until a permanent head is formally selected by member states. In its official directive, EULEX urged international partners and the public to direct monitoring communications to Rakhorst’s official institutional account on X.
A Fond Farewell from Barbano
Major General Barbano bid farewell to the mission and local counterparts, expressing gratitude for his tenure steering the rule of law architecture in a complex security environment:
Outgoing Chief Giovanni Pietro Barbano: “As I say goodbye to Kosovo, I feel deeply thankful for these three years. Serving as EULEX Head of Mission has been one of the most rewarding chapters of my professional life. I leave Kosovo enriched by many friends and enduring memories.”
Who is Emily Rakhorst?
Rakhorst is a highly decorated Dutch international legal advisor who brings over two decades of experience operating across unstable conflict and post-conflict zones on behalf of both the United Nations and the European Union.
| Domain / Institution | Core Professional Milestone & Role |
| Academic Background | Graduated with an advanced degree in law from the University of Groningen, Netherlands, specialized strictly in criminal justice systems. |
| EUMM Georgia | Served as Chief of Staff for the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia, commanding an organization of 350 personnel tracking compliance with the EU-mediated Six-Point Agreement that halted the 2008 Russo-Georgian War. |
| Kosovo Specialist Chambers | Acted as Head of the Court Management Unit within the Registry of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague, having heavily contributed to the original CSDP planning teams that built the special court. |
| UN & International Courts | Served extensively as a legal officer within the Chambers of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and as a rule of law expert for EUPOL COPPS in Palestine, where she spearheaded juvenile justice initiatives. |
[ICTY Chambers (2004-2008)] ──> [EUPOL COPPS Palestine (2008-2013)]
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[EUMM Georgia Chief of Staff] ──> [Specialist Chambers Hague (2016-2020)]
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[Acting Head of EULEX Kosovo (June 2026)]
Throughout her deployment in Pristina, Rakhorst has maintained a heavy focus on the human element of security assistance, actively driving joint EULEX-UNICEF initiatives focused on restructuring how local institutions address sexual violence and discrimination against children. She steps into the executive role at a critical time as the mission continues its robust and assertive monitoring of Kosovo’s judicial, police, and correctional institutions amid ongoing regional security friction.
