Turkish Ambassador named next NATO Senior Civilian Representative in Afghanistan
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has appointed Ambassador Ismail Aramaz as the next NATO Senior Civilian Representative (SCR) in Afghanistan. He is expected to take up his new post early next year.
Ambassador Aramaz is currently the Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to Afghanistan. He has extensive diplomatic experience, including on Afghanistan and NATO. He served as Turkey’s Deputy Permanent Representative to NATO from 2003 to 2007 and as Political Advisor to the Commander of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) from 2002 to 2003. He has also held key posts at the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs dealing with NATO issues.
Ambassador Aramaz will replace Ambassador Maurits Jochems, who has served as the NATO Senior Civilian Representative since August 2012. Ambassador Jochems has played a vital role in supporting NATO’s efforts in Afghanistan. He has worked effectively with the Afghan authorities, senior officials representing other international organizations, and the military and civilian leaders from NATO and partner countries. On behalf of the Alliance, the Secretary General has thanked Ambassador Jochems for his capable and dedicated service.
As ISAF ends in December 2014 and NATO launches the Resolute Support Mission to train, advise, and assist the Afghan security forces, the Alliance and our partners will remain committed to supporting Afghanistan and further developing our long-term relationship. Ambassador Aramaz will play an integral role in those efforts.