H.E. Egemen Bağış, Minister for European Union Affairs and Chief Negotiator, Republic of Turkey
Minister Egemen Bağis was first elected to Parliament in 2002 as a deputy of Istanbul. He was first appointed as minister for EU Affairs and chief negotiator in January 2009. He was appointed minister for EU affairs and chief negotiator in the 61st government in July 2011. Until 2009, Minister Bağis was the Justice and Development Party’s (AK Party) vice chairman in charge of foreign affairs. As the vice chairman, he had been a member of the AK Party’s Central Executive Committee, the highest executive body of the party. Minister Bağis directed the national and international relations of the party, as well as its local organizations, on matters regarding foreign policy.
Minister Bağis was the most influential key official of the party for diplomacy and international relations. He directed and coordinated the party’s national and international network as well as local branches on foreign policy matters. He also coordinated the flow of key global developments to the party leadership.
Minister Bağis’ current titles include minister for EU affairs and chief negotiator; head of the Turkish Delegation for EU Negotiations; and member of the Parliament, representing Istanbul.
From 2002 to 2011, Mr. Bağis served as AK Party vice chairman in charge of foreign affairs and representative offices; AK Party member of the Central Executive Committee; AK Party member of the Central Decision Making and Administrative Committee; foreign policy advisor to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan; chairman of Turkey-USA Inter- Parliamentary Friendship Caucus; chairman of NATO-PA Subcommittee on Transatlantic Relations; and deputy chairman of the Turkish Delegation to NATO Parliamentary Assembly.
Minister Bağis, who is also a patron of the arts, has contributed to two major projects, “Istanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture” and “Istanbul 2012 European Capital of Sports,” and served as the founding chairman of the advisory board of these projects. Minister Bağis has also promoted the establishment of Istanbul Museum of Modern Art and Santral Museum of Art & Industry and is also a founding board member of the museums.
He is the founder of the Global Affairs Platform at Istanbul Bilgi University and is the chairman of the advisory committee of the platform. He is also a founding member of the Istanbul Center in Brussels, and currently a member of the administrative board of the Center. Minister Bağis was awarded the Cavaliere, Order of Merit of the Italian Republic in 2006 and Commendatore, Order of Merit of the Italian Republic in 2011.
In the 1990s, Minister Bağis was the president of the Federation of Turkish-American Associations in New York, an umbrella organization. A popular leader, Minister Bağis is the only president in this organization’s history who was unanimously re-elected for two terms. He has also served as the advisory board member of Turkish Citizens Abroad, a government body based in Ankara.
Bağis was born in Bingol, Turkey. His family originates from the neighboring Siirt province, where his late father, Abdullah Bağis served as mayor from 1974 to 1979.
He holds a BA in human resources management and an MPA, both from the Baruch College of the City University of New York. He is married to Beyhan Bağış, and they have two children.
