Jan Top Christensen started on August 1, 2014 the re-opening of the Danish embassy in Manila and finished his term August 31, 2019. In 2007, re-opened the Danish embassy in Lebanon. In 2013, he was appointed ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrein, Oman and Yemen, but due to his active human rights profile, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain did not issue agrément. He has held senior positions in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs within various fields such as Middle East and North Africa, Latin America, Asia, Humanitarian Crisis and UN Security Council matters. He holds degrees in international relations and economics plus French language. From 1987-90 he was Head of UNHCR-Field Office for Vietnamese Boat People in Palawan, Philippines.
JTC started his professional career in academia as associate professor at the Institute of Political Science, Aarhus University, DK, and later as research fellow at the Danish National Council for Social Sciences, having written books and articles about international politics.
JTC is active in the Danish written and electronic media and SoMe, using his insights and experiences to inform a broader public about international issues. He has given many public presentations about international politics. JTC has also written about Danish and Arctic politics in Canadian media.
JTC is an active pa of a Foundation with the goal of establishing a museum in the Philippines about the Vietnamese Boat People, seeking first asylum in the Philippines. The first version of the museum will be a webpage to be published in the first half of 2022.
JTC has received from the Queen of Denmark the Order of Dannebrog (1st degree), from the President of the Philippines, The Order of Sikatuna (gold - with title of Datu) and from the Knights of Rizal, the Order of Grand Officer of Knights of Rizal. - Since September 2019, JTC lives in Ottawa with his Canadian wife, Dr. Kieu Phung, and daughter, Anna.
RECENT PUBLICATIONS BY JAN TOP CHRISTENSEN
Denmark’s New Foreign and Security Policy Strategy Meets Reality with ‘Pragmatic Idealism’
Parlamentsvalget indvarsler nye tider i Libanon – måske (Parliamentary elections herald new times in Lebanon – perhaps)
Canada needs to swiftly beef up NATO engagement