The Embassy and Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in Vienna

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THE EMBASSY AND PERMANENT MISSION of

THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF AFGHANISTAN

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Message of Condolence of the Embassy and Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in Vienna on the Tragic Storms and Landslides in Slovenia, Austria, and Croatia.

The Embassy and Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in Vienna is deeply saddened to hear about the devastating storms and landslides that have affected Slovenia, Austria, and Croatia, resulting in loss of lives and widespread destruction. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and communities affected by this tragic event.

In this time of sorrow, we stand with the people of Austria and Slovenia, offering our deepest condolences. The loss of lives and the damage caused by the extreme weather is a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities we all face in the face of nature’s fury.

The strength and resilience displayed by the affected communities in the wake of this disaster are truly remarkable. As we come together to offer our moral support and solidarity, let us also reflect on the urgent need for global cooperation in addressing climate change and its consequences.

Our thoughts are with you during this difficult time.

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Biography

H.E. Manizha Bakhtari is a diplomat, lecturer, and author. She was formerly Afghanistan’s Ambassador to Nordic Countries (2009-2015) and served as the Chief of Staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kabul (2007-2009).

Prior to her diplomatic career, Ms. Bakhtari was renowned for her work on gender advocacy in the non-profit sector, namely with the Cooperation Center for Afghanistan. During her time there, she traveled across Afghanistan, aiming to implement global gender equality standards and raise awareness.

Ms. Bakhtari received her bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Kabul University and her master’s degree from the university’s Persian Literature Department. She later served as a lecturer at her alma mater.

Ms. Bakhtari has published hundreds of academic and journalistic articles, as well as seven academic books. Her most notable books, Jahan-e Delangize Khabar and Akhalq wa Huquq dar journalism, were previously used as textbooks in the Journalism Faculty of Kabul University, and encompass her analysis on reporting methods in news media and her research on journalistic ethics and regulations. Ms. Bakhtari also writes fiction. Her short stories are often centered around the experiences of women and the socio-cultural dynamics of the Afghan society.

In recent years, Ms. Bakhtari took up social work with the Salvation Army and Ishtar Women’s Resource Society in Vancouver, Canada where she employed harm reduction policies to resolve issues of homelessness, poverty, addiction, and domestic violence.

Ms. Bakhtari is married to Naser Hotaki. They have four children Mariam Hotaki, Mustafa Kamal Hotaki, Nosheen Hotaki, and Parnian Hotaki.

Ambassador Ebrahimkhel Urges for Genuine Partnerships and Multilateral Responses as a Means to Respond to Global Security Challenges

Ambassador H.E. Khojesta Fana Ebrahimkhel delivered a statement at the 2020 OSCE Asian Conference on Multilateral Responses to the Global Security Challenges held on the 12th and 13th of October. The conference was co-hosted by the Republic of Korea and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) with the participation of Lee Taeho, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea and Ingrid Brocková, State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Slovakia. The conference also hosted the participation of Mr. Ahmad Shuja Jamal, Director-General for International Affairs and Regional Cooperation at the Office of National Security in Kabul, as a panelist. This event celebrated the 25th anniversary of the OSCE Asian Partnership.

In her statement, the Ambassador stated that regional cooperation remains key in addressing regional challenges and threats in Asia. Afghanistan, being located on the Eurasian land bridge, possesses, historically and contemporarily, a key strategic geographical position connecting Central and South Asia to Europe. Afghanistan’s strategic position and geography allows for the opportunity of integrating Central, West, East and South Asia into a network that supports stability and prosperity over a vast area of the world’s surface.

Ambassador Ebrahimkhel affirmed that only by reinvigorating our cooperation and multilateral responses will we [Asian Partners for Co-operation in the OSCE] be able to stay relevant in this rapidly changing global, political, economic, social and humanitarian landscape. She continued by commending the progress achieved so far by the Asian Partners for Co-operations group in the OSCE, and stated that Afghanistan is committed to developing and strengthening long-term cooperation with the OSCE to better tackle global security challenges.

Director-General Ahmad Shuja Jamal participated as a panelist under “Session 1: Regional Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) and Exchanges of Best Practices between Europe and Asia”. He particularly covered one dimension of security: regional confidence and security-building measures, a recurring theme for the OSCE Asian Partnership.

Ambassador H.E. Khojesta Fana Ebrahimkhel attends the 64th IAEA General Conference

Ambassador H.E. Khojesta Fana Ebrahimkhel attended the sixty-fourth session the IAEA General Conference together with the participation of Dr. Tahir Shaaran, Director-General of Afghanistan Atomic Energy High Commission.

The 64th IAEA General Conference started with the opening statement of the IAEA Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi, which stated that the IAEA continues to work arduously to prevent the misuse of nuclear material during the COVID-19 pandemic and highlighted the equipment contributions the IAEA has made for combating the coronavirus.

During the plenary session of the IAEA General Conference, Dr. Tahir Sharan, Director-General of Afghanistan’s Atomic Energy High Commission delivered a statement thanking the IAEA, and its Director-General H.E Rafael Mariano Grossi, for the efforts made in supporting the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan during the COVID-19 pandemic. With the support of the IAEA, the Afghanistan National Nuclear Regulatory Authority has managed to finalize three regulations on licensing, transportation, and nuclear waste. Additionally, Dr. Tahir Sharan spotlighted that Afghanistan, with the support of its main implementing partner, Afghanistan Nuclear Energy Agency, has started to implement the projects defined in the Country Programme Framework signed at the IAEA’s 63rd General Conference last year.  The projects will last until 2023 and center around Radiation Safety Infrastructure, Food and Agriculture, Human Health and Nutrition, and Human Capital Development.

Ambassador Ebrahimkhel participated in a plethora of Side Events scheduled at this year’s General Conference. The event “A Global Voice on Gender Equality in Nuclear: The Role of the IAEA” illustrated the importance of equal representation in the nuclear sector and of challenging the status quo to build a better future for all. Ambassador Ebrahimkhel attended this important event to support and speak to the new generation of Afghan women leaders in nuclear science and technology and assured Afghanistan’s full support to the launch of the IAEA Marie Sklodowska Curie Fellowship Programme.

Additionally, Ambassador Ebrahimkhel attended the IAEA-IsDB’s (Islamic Development Bank) event on the initiative “Saving Women’s Lives From Cancer”. The initiative expands comprehensive cancer care for women affected by cervical and breast cancer in the world’s poorest countries. Ambassador Ebrahimkhel attended this side event to state the importance of providing technical support to developing countries to combat breast cancer. One of the main priorities of the strategic plan of the Embassy and the Permanent Mission of Afghanistan in Vienna is strengthening technical cooperation in the area of health, health for Afghan women, and general cancer support treatments for Afghanistan. IAEA support for Afghanistan in the areas of capacity building and training in areas related to cervical and breast cancer is of utmost importance.

AMBASSADOR KHOJESTA FANA EBRAHIMKHEL ATTENDED THE LAUNCHING EVENT OF THE IAEA MARIE SKLODOWSKA CURIE FELLOWSHIP PROGRAMME

Ambassador Khojesta Fana Ebrahimkhel attended the launching event of the IAEA Marie Sklodowska Curie Fellowship Programme, organized under the auspices of Director General H.E. Mr. Rafael Mariano Grossi, on the 9th of March in Vienna. The launching event attracted two renowned nuclear physicists, namely Marie-Curie’s grand-daughter, Hélène Langevin-Joliot, and Latin American winner of the L’Oreal-UNESCO Award for Women in Science Karen Hallberg.

Having been named after Marie Sklodowska-Curie, twice Nobel Prize Winner, the fellowship Program aims to serve as a beacon of inspiration and encouragement for future female STEM leaders. Fellowships will be awarded annually and will reach exactly 100 female students per year. Ambassador Ebrahimkhel views this initiative as paramount to encouraging Afghan women to pursue a professional career in nuclear science and technology.

Afghanistan reiterates its gratitude for the continuous support of the IAEA to Afghanistan, particularly concerning IAEA-organized educational and training programs for Afghan stakeholders and reaffirms its commitment to gender equality and women empowerment. We remain optimistic about the future of Afghan women and hopeful that through continuous cooperation with the IAEA, significant progress will be made with regards to gender parity in the field of nuclear security.

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