Mioh Nemoto is the new UNICEF Representative in Bulgaria

Sofia, 11 September 2026 – Mioh Nemoto has been the new UNICEF Representative in Bulgaria since August 2026. Under his leadership, UNICEF Bulgaria will continue to work in partnership with national institutions, civil society, the private sector, academia, the media and other partners to protect children’s rights and improve the lives and well-being of every child in the country, with a particular focus on the most vulnerable children and families. 

On 10 September, Mioh Nemoto presented his credentials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 

Mioh Nemoto is an experienced humanitarian and development professional and leader with more than 20 years of experience in child protection, emergency response, partnerships and programme management at UNICEF. 

Throughout his career, he has worked across Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe and the Middle East, leading humanitarian operations, developing strategic partnerships and supporting efforts to protect the rights and well-being of children in complex development and humanitarian settings. 

Mioh Nemoto began his career in 2002 with the Japan Committee for UNICEF and later joined UNICEF’s Public Partnerships Division in Tokyo, where he worked to expand partnerships with both the public and private sectors. 

Between 2004 and 2013, he served as a Child Protection Specialist with UNICEF offices in Sierra Leone, Mozambique and Palestine, leading initiatives to strengthen child protection systems for vulnerable children. 

From 2013 to 2016, Mioh Nemoto served as an Emergency Specialist with UNICEF’s East Asia and Pacific Regional Office in Bangkok, supporting humanitarian preparedness and response efforts across the region. He subsequently served as Senior Advisor and Deputy in UNICEF’s Public Partnerships Division in Tokyo, where he played a key role in advancing UNICEF’s strategic partnership with the Government of Japan and parliamentary stakeholders, as well as in advocacy and resource mobilization in support of children worldwide. 

Bulgaria is not unfamiliar territory for Mioh Nemoto. In 2022, he was deployed to the country as Senior Emergency Coordinator to support UNICEF’s response to the needs of children and families fleeing the war in Ukraine. In 2023, he was appointed UNICEF Deputy Representative in Syria and subsequently served as UNICEF Deputy Representative in Yemen. 

As UNICEF Representative in Bulgaria, Mioh Nemoto will once again work with Bulgarian institutions and partners to support children and families in the country and achieve sustainable results for every child. 

“I am delighted to be back in Bulgaria and work for children together with our partners. I am starting by travelling across the country to meet children and young people. I strongly believe that listening to their voices, needs and challenges is the only way to find solutions and explore future opportunities for children together. I look forward to further strengthening our partnerships with people and the Government of Bulgaria.”, said Mioh Nemoto, UNICEF Representative in Bulgaria. 

Mioh Nemoto is a Japanese national. He holds a Master of Public Administration and a Master of Arts in International Relations from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Law from the University of Tokyo.