The diplomat Emmanuel Cocher, French ambassador to Paraguay, died “brutally” on Friday May 6, at the age of 53.
The Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, which confirmed the information, did not, however, give further details concerning the circumstances of the death.
“The ministry salutes the exemplary career of this talented diplomat, driven by a great sense of the State, committed to the service of France and fully invested in the missions entrusted to him (…). The ministry and all its agents are losing a generous, benevolent and esteemed colleague,” the Quai d’Orsay said in a press release.
The Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs has the great sadness to inform you of the sudden death of Emmanuel Cocher, Ambassador of France to Paraguay, on May 6, 2022.
Full statement https://t.co/pNpVWHCICf pic.twitter.com/zGWjJ0kZal
— France Diplomacy (@francediplo) May 9, 2022
Emmanuel Cocher took up the post of French Ambassador to Paraguay in 2020. He had previously served as Consul General in Edinburgh (Scotland) from 2015 to 2019. Scottish Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon paid tribute to the diplomat, who “ has done so much to renew and strengthen the Auld Alliance (which was concluded between the two countries in the 13th century, editor’s note)”.
Emmanuel Cocher was also a former ENA, present in the same promotion as Emmanuel Macron.