Roza Otunbayeva Appointed as UN Secy Gen’s Special Representative for Afghanistan

Roza Otunbayeva of Kyrgyzstan has been appointed as United Nations Secretary-General’s new Special Representative for Afghanistan. UN General Secretary made the announcement on Saturday and said that Otunbayeva will also head United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan.

Otunbayeva succeeds Deborah Lyons of Canada and was the President of the Kyrgyz Republic from 2010-2011.

She has over 35 years of professional experience in leadership, diplomacy, civic engagement, and international cooperation and held several senior diplomatic positions.

Otunbayeva has also served with the United Nations as Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General in the United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) (2002-2004).