Former Minister Delegate for Diaspora (2016), Maria Ligor served as Ambassador of Romania to Canada and Permanent Representative to International Civil Aviation Organization (2013-16) and Ambassador to Spain and Permanent Representative to World Tourism Organization (2006-11). In 2011, Ms Ligor was appointed Ambassador at large for the Promotion of Democracy and at the end of her tenure as Member of the Romanian Cabinet, in early 2017, she resumed her diplomatic activity as Ambassador at large, Special Representative for International Cooperation, Democracy and Human Rights. Currently, Ms Ligor is the Ambassador of Romania to Finland.

A career diplomat since 1996, with a specialization in European Affairs and Policy Planning, she served as Director General for EU and bilateral European Affairs during the negotiation for accession, and briefly in 2012 as Secretary General of the Romanian MFA.

Since 2012 Ms Ligor has been a member of the Board of Governors of the European Endowment for Democracy (EED), re-elected for a third mandate as the representative of the EU Member States caucus in the Executive Committee of the Endowment. She is also Chair of the Strategic Reflection Group of the EED.

As Ambassador of Romania to Canada, Ms Ligor participated to the discussions leading to the conclusion of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement between Canada and the EU and negotiated successfully the visa free travel regime for Romanian nationals. In Spain, Ms Ligor developed a number of projects and programs for diaspora, such as introducing the study of the Romanian language in Spanish schools, with more than 7000 participants or the expansion of the consular network. For her activity, she received several national and foreign distinctions, including the Spanish Grand Cross Isabela la Catolica and the Cross of the Royal House of Romania.