Joke Brandt
{{Short description|Dutch diplomat and administrator (b. 1958)}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Joke Brandt
| office = Permanent Representative of the Netherlands to the United Nations
| termstart = 2020
| termend = 2024
| office2 = Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
| termstart2 = 2016
| termend2 = 2020
| office3 = Deputy Executive Director of UNICEF
| termstart3 = 2012
| termend3 = 2016
| office4 = Director General for International Cooperation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
| termstart4 = 2008
| termend4 = 2012
| office5 = Ambassador of the Netherlands to Uganda
| termstart5 = 2004
| termend5 = 2007
| office6 = Ambassador of the Netherlands to Eritrea
| termstart6 = 2000
| termend6 = 2004
| image = File:Joke Brandt.jpeg
| birth_date = 1958
| alma_mater = Utrecht University
}}
Johanna M. G. (Joke) Brandt, also known internationally as Yoka Brandt (born 1958), is a Dutch diplomat, administrator and civil servant who served as her country's Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York from 2020 to 2024. She was previously Deputy Executive Director of UNICEF (2012−2016) and the Dutch ambassador to Uganda (2000−2004) and Eritrea (2000−2004).{{Cite web |last=Overheid |first=Aruba |date=2022-02-15 |title=Aruba welcomes Her Excellency Ambassador Joke Brandt |url=https://www.government.aw/news/news_47033/item/aruba-welcomes-her-excellency-ambassador-joke-brandt_59179.html |access-date=2022-06-22 |website=www.government.aw |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Johanna (Yoka) Brandt of Netherlands Appointed Deputy Executive Director of United Nations Children’s Fund, Meetings Coverage and Press Releases |url=https://www.un.org/press/en/2011/sga1310.doc.htm |access-date=2022-06-22 |website=www.un.org}}{{Cite web |title=Ambassador of Georgia held meeting with the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands |url=https://netherlands.mfa.gov.ge/default.aspx?lang=2&sec_id=456&NewsID=135509 |access-date=2022-06-22 |website=MFA}}
Career
Brandt studied geography and development at Utrecht University and worked as a civil servant at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, spending some time at the embassy in South Africa, before serving as ambassador to Eritrea (2000−2004) and Uganda (2004−2007).{{Cite web |last=Vordev |title=Ambassador Joke Brandt visits the Governor |url=https://www.curacaochronicle.com/post/local/ambassador-joke-brandt-visits-the-governor/ |access-date=2022-06-22 |website=www.curacaochronicle.com}}{{Cite web |last=Zaken |first=Ministerie van Buitenlandse |date=2022-02-09 |title=Netherlands assumes Presidency of largest UN Executive Board - News item - Government.nl |url=https://www.government.nl/latest/news/2022/02/09/netherlands-assumes-presidency-of-largest-un-executive-board |access-date=2022-06-22 |website=www.government.nl |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |last=Koninkrijksrelaties |first=Ministerie van Binnenlandse Zaken en |date=2015-12-18 |title=Joke Brandt volgt Renée Jones-Bos op als SG BZ - Nieuwsbericht - Algemene Bestuursdienst |url=https://www.algemenebestuursdienst.nl/actueel/nieuws/2015/12/18/joke-brandt-volgt-renee-jones-bos-op-als-sg-bz |access-date=2022-06-22 |publisher=Dutch Senior Civil Service |language=nl-NL}}
In 2007, having returned to The Hague, she became Deputy Director General for International Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs before assuming the role of Director General the following year. After a four-year spell as Deputy Executive Director of UNICEF in New York, she was selected to succeed Renée Jones-Bos as Secretary General of the Ministry.{{Cite web |last=Zaken |first=Ministerie van Buitenlandse |date=2020-08-27 |title=Vertrekkend secretaris-generaal Joke Brandt: ‘Deze baan doe je samen’ - Ministeries - Rijksoverheid.nl |url=https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/ministeries/ministerie-van-buitenlandse-zaken/het-werk-van-bz-in-de-praktijk/weblogs/2020/joke-brandt |access-date=2022-06-22 |website=www.rijksoverheid.nl |language=nl-NL}}{{Cite web |title=Drs. J.M.G. (Joke) Brandt |url=https://www.parlement.com/id/vk729ic8nssk/j_m_g_joke_brandt |access-date=2022-06-22 |website=www.parlement.com |language=nl}}
In 2020 she was appointed Permanent Representative of the Netherlands to the United Nations in New York, the first woman to hold that office.{{Cite web |last=Zaken |first=Ministerie van Buitenlandse |date=2021-03-05 |title=The Permanent Representative - PR UN, New York - The Netherlands at International Organisations |url=https://www.permanentrepresentations.nl/permanent-representations/pr-un-new-york/the-permanent-representative |access-date=2022-06-22 |website=www.permanentrepresentations.nl |language=en-GB}} She was succeeded in 2024 by Lise Gregoire-van Haaren.