Afghanistan Times
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KABUL: The new Permanent Representative of Afghanistan to the United Nations, Adela Raz, presented her credentials to the United Nations’ Secretary-General Mr. Antonio Guterres on Saturday. Ambassador Raz greeted the Secretary-General and conveyed to him the appreciation of President Ghani for the steadfast and continuous support that the United Nations has provided and continues to provide to Afghanistan since 2001.
Moreover, Ambassador Raz noted the symbolic nature of the presentation of her credentials as the first female Permanent Representative of Afghanistan on International Women’s Day to which the Secretary-General responded by emphasizing the strong support of the organization to gender equality.
During their subsequent discussion, the Secretary-General highlighted his keen attention to the developments surrounding the Afghan Peace Process and his hopes that a successful and inclusive process could lead to a sustainable and dignified peace in the country.
He further underlined how despite the situation the country faces; that he values the committed and vital role the country plays within the international agenda. Ambassador Raz appreciated the Secretary-General’s points and stressed that as a founding member of the United Nations, Afghanistan strongly supports the UN Agenda, and emphasized the importance of the key issues of gender, specifically protecting women’s rights and gains made in the last 17 years during peace efforts, and environment, as Afghanistan is a country severely affected by climate change as evidenced by recent droughts affecting the country.
Prior to her appointment as Permanent Representative, Ambassador Raz developed an extensive career in the field of economic development. In 2013, she was appointed as the first female Spokesperson and Director of Communications for President Hamid Karzai. Following the election of President Ashraf Ghani, she was appointed to the role of Chief of Staff at the Administrative Office of the President in November 2014 and then to the role she held prior to her appointment as Deputy Minister for Economic Cooperation at Ministry of Foreign Affairs in March 2016.
Ambassador Raz is the 12th Permanent Representative of Afghanistan to the United Nations since the organization’s foundation in 1945 and she succeeded H.E. Ambassador Mahmoud Saikal in that role.
