New Permanent Representative of Nepal Presents Credentials

Amrit Bahadur Rai, the new Permanent Representative of Nepal to the United Nations, presented his credentials to United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres today.

Until his latest appointment, Mr. Rai was Joint Secretary of the Policy Planning Division of his country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs between December 2018 and March 2019.

A career civil servant since 1996, Mr. Rai held various positions in the Foreign Ministry as well as several overseas postings, including Ambassador to South Africa from December 2014 to December 2018, with concurrent accreditation to 18 other countries.

From August 2013 until December 2014, Mr. Rai was Joint Secretary to the Foreign Ministry’s South Asia Division.  He also served as Under Secretary to the Europe/America Division from March to August 2013.  Mr. Rai was Under Secretary to the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation and the Multilateral Economic Diplomacy Division, from 2012 to 2013.

Among his other foreign postings was Mr. Rai’s appointment as Minister Counsellor at his country’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York between 2008 and 2012.  He previously served as Under Secretary in the Foreign Ministry’s United Nations and International Organizations Division.

Mr. Rai’s Government service included appointments as Under Secretary in the Planning Division of the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation between 2003 and 2005, and in the Ministry of General Administration from 2002 to 2003.  He began his career in 1996 as a Section Officer in the Ministry of Women, Child and Social Welfare.

He holds three master’s degrees:  in public management from the University of Potsdam in Berlin, and in business administration and public administration, both from Tribhuvan University in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Mr. Rai is married and has three children.