New Permanent Representative of Afghanistan Presents Credentials

(Based on information provided by the Protocol and Liaison Service)

The new Permanent Representative of Afghanistan to the United Nations, Mahmoud Saikal, presented his credentials to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today.

Prior to his appointment, Mr. Saikal was the Special Representative of the Chief Executive of Afghanistan from 2014.  Since 2012, he served as Convener of the Afghanistan Policy Group, which led a major regional “track II” diplomatic process facilitated by the German Friedrich Ebert Stiftung.

Between 2008 and 2012, Mr. Saikal was the acting Chief Executive Officer and Senior Adviser to the Japan International Coordinating Agency for Kabul New City Development and Master Planning of Greater Kabul.  From 2005 to 2006, he served as Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, holding the economic affairs portfolio.

Mr. Saikal holds a bachelor’s degree in architecture from the University of Sydney, a bachelor’s in applied science in environmental design from the University of Canberra and a master’s degree in international and community development from Deakin University in Melbourne, Australia.