Biography
Ghulam M. Isaczai was appointed by H.E. President Ashraf Ghani as the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to the United Nations with the rank of a cabinet member in June 2021.
Mr. Isaczai brings to the job over 25 years of work experience in the UN system and NGOs covering complex humanitarian, development, recovery, and peace-building issues in different parts of the world.
Prior to this appointment, Mr. Isaczai served as the UN Secretary-General’s representative and UN Resident Coordinator to the Republic of Azerbaijan (2016) and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (2013). He also served as the UNDP and UNFPA Resident Representative in both countries.
From 2001 to 2013, Mr. Isaczai served in other senior leadership and management positions within the UN system, including as Director of Program at the United Nations Volunteers in Bonn, Germany; UNDP Senior Advisor and Country Director a.i in Tajikistan, Deputy Resident Representative and Head of Program in Nepal, and Assistant Resident Representative in Yemen. In these roles, he led the design and management of large and complex programs on poverty alleviation, good governance, environmental protection, and peace.
In 2003, he returned to his native country Afghanistan to assist with the reconstruction process as senior Program Advisor on Reintegration to UNDP and the UN Assistance Mission to Afghanistan (UNAMA).
From 1997 to 2001, he worked with the Office of the U.N. Special Coordinator for the Middle East (UNSCO) in Syria and the U.N. Office of the Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq (UNOCHI).
Before joining the UN system, Mr. Isaczai held positions with the Swedish Committee for Afghanistan and Save the Children-US in Peshawar, Pakistan, and worked with the private sector in the United States.
Mr. Isaczai holds an M.A. in Public International Law from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University, a BSc in Business Administration from Midland University, a Diploma in Human Development from Jones International University, and has completed coursework on negotiations and conflict resolution from Harvard University.
He is fluent in Pashto, Dari/Farsi, and English and has a working knowledge of Arabic and Urdu/Hindi, and familiarity with Turkish/Azerbaijani languages.
He is married with three children.
