Terhi Hakala has served as the EU Special Representative for Central Asia since July 2021. In this role, she implements the EU Strategy for Central Asia, focusing on regional cooperation in areas such as security, the rule of law, the environment, water, climate change, education, and human rights.
Prior to this, Hakala held several senior positions within the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including Ambassador for Countering Hybrid Threats, Permanent Representative to the UN, WTO, and other international organizations in Geneva, Director General for Russia, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia, and Ambassador to India. She also served as a Roving Ambassador to the South Caucasus and was Head of the OSCE Mission to Georgia.