Luminiţa Odobescu is the minister of foreign affairs of Romania from 15 June 2023.

A career diplomat, Luminiţa Odobescu was Presidential Adviser from November 2021 to June 2023, as Adviser for European Affairs to the President of Romania, also coordinating the Foreign Policy Department, and the Permanent Representative of Romania to the European Union between September 2015 and November 2021, successfully managing, in this capacity, the first Romanian Presidency of the Council of the EU (the first semester of 2019).

Luminita Odobescu was State Counsellor, adviser on European Affairs and External Relations to the Romanian Prime Minister, between November 2012 and August 2015. In December 2014, she was granted the diplomatic rank of Ambassador.

Between February and November 2012, she was State Secretary on European Affairs in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and between June 2008 and February 2012 she was Director General of the European Union Department within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, coordinating the EU Affairs and the bilateral political dialogue with the EU Member States, the acceding states to the EU (including Turkey), as well as the EFTA countries.

Between 2002 and 2007, she held various positions in the Permanent Representation of Romania to the European Union in Brussels, being responsible for several chapters of negotiation in the context of Romania’s accession to the EU (energy, economic and monetary union, taxation, trade). Moreover, she was in charge with the trade relations and trade defence measures between Romania and the EU.

Following the signing of Romania’s Accession Treaty to the EU, Luminiţa Odobescu took responsibility for coordinating and preparing the meetings of the EU’s Committee of Deputy Permanent Representatives (COREPER I), while also participating to several working groups of the EU Council and the European Commission.

Luminița Odobescu was head of unit within the Department of Foreign Trade between 1999 and 2002, being responsible for the management of trade relations between Romania and the European Communities, in the framework of the European Association Agreement. From 1995 to 1999, she held various positions in the European Union division of the same Department.

Between 1992 and 1995 she was researcher to “Virgil Madgearu” National Institute.

She holds a PhD in International Economic Relations from the Academy of Economic Studies in Bucharest, a degree obtained in 2003. In 1992, she graduated the Faculty of Commerce at the Academy of Economic Studies in Bucharest.

In 2007 she was conferred the “Order of Diplomatic Merit” in the rank of Officer for the contribution to the process of Romania’s accession to the European Union. In 2015 she was conferred the French National Order of the Legion of Honour in the rank of Knight, and in 2023 the “Grand Cross of Merit with Star” of Germany.

In November 2019, Luminița Odobescu was awarded the National Order ”Star of Romania” in the rank of Knight for her significant contribution to the success of the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first semester of 2019.

She was born on May 3, 1969, in Reghin (Mureș County). She is married and has two children.