Apakan has had a longstanding diplomatic career, most recently as the Permanent Representative of Turkey to the United Nations (2009 – 2012) and as Undersecretary at the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2006 – 2009).

He graduated from Bornova Anatolian High School and Ankara University, Faculty of Political Science (1969), and completed his master's degree in economics at the Ege University in İzmir.

He became the Permanent Representative of Turkey to the United Nations in New York in August 2009.

In September 2010, Apakan was the President of the United Nations Security Council.

He also chaired the United Nations Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee in 2010.