Afghan Biographies

Raz, Adela Mrs.


Name Raz, Adela Mrs.
Ethnic backgr. Pashtun
Date of birth 1986
Function/Grade Ex Ambassador to USA United States of Amerika
History and Biodata

1. Former Ambassadors to USA United States of America:
Haroun Amin (2002)
Ishaq Shahyar (2002)
Said Tayeb Jawad Is’haq Shahryar Said Tayeb Jawad (20031204-20100922 fired)
Mrs.Khojesta Fana Imbrahimkhel (201011-20110214)
Eklil Ahmad Hakimi (201102114-20150127)
Dr. Hamdullah Mohib (20150900-20180825)
Chargé d’Affaires Mrs. Madina Qasimi (20180825)
Mrs. Roya Rahmani (20181124, 20190808, 20200712)
Mrs. Adela Raz (20210514)

Afghanistan’s deputy ambassador in Washington:
Abdul Hadi Nijrabi, nephew of MP Mirdad Nijrabi, who was a member of Ghani’s campaign team. (20200112) Diplomats at the Afghan Embassy in the US refuse to acknowledge the Taliban and have rebuffed all of the group’s attempts of opening lines of communication, Deputy Chief of Mission Abdul Hadi Nejrabi told Al Arabiya English in a recent interview.(20220121)

Staff as of 20181112:
 

Name

Function

Mrs. Madina Qasimi (Hazara)

Minister Counselor/Chargé d’Affaires (2014)

 

 

Mr. Fazulrahman Fazilyar

Counselor (Economic Affairs)

Mr. Sayed Hashemi

Political Counselor (Congress)

Mrs. Angiza Nasiree

Political Counselor

Mr. Haroon Hakimi

Head of Section for Latin America

 

 

Mr. Mohammad Akbar Quraishi

Liaison, Defense

Mr. Mesbahulhaq Aini

First Secretary

Mr. Bijan Paya Taheri

First Secretary/Head of Passport

Mr. Abdullah Khodadad

Second Secretary/Think Tanks

Mrs. Bahishta Talash

Visa Section

Mr. Umeed Stanikzai

Economic Affairs

Mr. Jahid Banoori

Head of Admin and Finance

Mr. Ahmad Seyar Auobi

Protocol Officer

Mr. Abdul Hadi Barakzai

Military Attaché

Mr. Majeedullah Qarar

Cultural Attaché

Mrs. Hilal Rahim

Passport Section


 

Staff as of 20170301:
Hamdullah Mohib (PhD)                               Ambassador                       
Ramin Manawi                                              Liaison, State Dept, Think Tanks                              
Abdul Nafay Sana                                         Liaison, Congress                           
Fazulrahman Fazilyar                                   Counselor (Economic Affairs)    
Sayed Zafar Hashemi                                   Liaison, Congress            
Habibullah Habibi                                         Consul                  
Redwan Balagh                                            Visa Section         
Fayeq Wahedi                                              Legal Section                       
Ahmad Shah Katawazai                               Liaison, Defense                             
Mesbahulhaq Aini                                         Admin & Finance                             
Mrs. Farhat Hassanzoi                                 Liaison, Latin American Countries                           
Abdullah Khodadad                                      Passport Section                               
Omeed Stanikzai                                          Passport Section                               
Saiferahman Faqeerzada                             Visa Section        
Sayed Mohammad Akbar Sultani                 Consulate Admin              
Majeedullah Qarar                                        Cultural Attaché                                
Said Mubin Shah Musamam                        Commercial Attaché                        
Islamudin Ahmadzai                                     Press and Public Relations

 

Staff as of 20160608:

Dr. Hamdullah Mohib             Ambassador         
Mrs. Hila Nawa Alam             Minister Counsellor     202-483-6410 ext.8030
Ramin Manawi                       Counselor         202-298-9125 ext: 8025
Abdul Nafay Sana                  Counselor         202-483-6410 ext.8020
Mrs. Madina Qasimi               First Secretary     202-483-6410 ext. 8004
Redwan Balagh                      First Secretary     202-298-9125 ext. 8013
Habibullah Habibi                   First Secretary     202-298-9125 ext. 9123
Fayeq Wahidi                         First Secretary     202-483-6410 ext.
Ahmad Shah Katawazai        Second Secretary     202-483-6410 ext. 8022
Nazir Yama Quraishi             Second Secretary     202-298-9125 ext: 8038
Sayed Mohammad Akbar Sultani    Second Secretary     202-483-6410 ext. 8033
Abdul Wali Walid                   Third Secretary     202-483-6410 ext. 8019
Mrs. Hadeia Amiry                 Third Secretary     202-483-6410 ext. 8011
Mrs. Farhat Hassanzoi          Third Secretary     202-298-9125 ext. 8013
Saiferahman Faqeerzada      Third Secretary     202-483-6410 ext. 8036
Javid Ahmad                          Advisor to the Ambassador     202-320-6416
Ahmad Farid Haidari             Cultural Attaché     202-483-6410 ext: 8010
Said Mubin Shah Musamam  Commercial Attaché     202-483-6410 ext.8008
u/i                                          Receptionist

 

Staff as of 20150910:

Ramin Manawi Counselor        
Ms. Madina Qasimi First Secretary
Habibullah Habibi     First Secretary
Redwan Balagh First Secretary
Nazir Yama Quraishi Second Secretary
Ahmad Shah Katawazai     Second Secretary
Sayed Mohammad Akbar Sultani Second Secretary
Abdul Wali Walid     Third Secretary
Ms. Hadeia Amiry     Third Secretary
Ms. Farhat Hassanzoi     Third Secretary
Saiferahman Faqeerzada     Third Secretary
Ahmad Farid Haidari     Cultural Attaché
Said Mubin Shah Musamam     Commercial Attaché         
Hamid Farhad     Protocol Officer
Ahmad-Bilal Askaryar Communications and Outreach Liaison
Ms. Amanda Shaw Public Relations officer


Embassy Staff before 20150910:

  Ahmad Zahir Faqiri Minister    
  Mirwais Nab Minister Counselor    
  Zemary Azami Counselor    
  Abdul Hakim Atarud Counselor    
  Mirwais Samadi Counselor    
  M. Ashor Azimi First Secretary    
  Mrs. Madina Qasimi First Secretary    
  Mortaza Haqjo Second Secretary    
  Farhad Roien Second Secretary    
  Bijan Paya Taheri Second Secretary    
  Ahmad Shah Daud Second Secretary    
  Mrs. Hadeia Amiry Third Secretary    
  Mrs. Angiza Nasiree Third Secretary    
  Mrs. Ghazal Hassan Third Secretary    
  Sikandar Noori Third Secretary    
  Shakib Noori Commercial Attaché    
  Abid Amiri Economic Affairs Officer    
  Ahmad Farid Haidari Cultural Attaché    
  Mrs. Monik Markus Ambassador's Assistant    
  Mrs. Sharifa Abbasi Legal and Legislative Officer    
  Mrs. Elaha Rahmani Events Manager    
  Mrs. Kelsey Glover Media and Public Affairs Director


2. Previous Function:
ACDI/VOCA’s D.C. office (2011)
First Deputy of the President's Office of Spokesperson Director of Communication. (20130319-20141126)
Chief of Staff at the Administrative Office of the President Ashraf Ghani since end of November 2014
Deputy Foreign Minister for Economic Affairs  (20160319)

Ambassador to the United Nation New York (20181231)
Anbassador to USA United States of America (20210514)


3. Biodata:

Raz Adela2Mrs. Adela Raz was born 1986 in Paktika Province, Afghanistan. At the end of the Taliban, she had support from the Aschiana Center, which assigned her as a supervisor of teachers at home schools. They gave her monthly payments for her own home school. Later on, she opened a school for street children and disabled people. She was a Student at Tufts University - The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy Tufts University and lived in Greater Boston. (2008-2010) Raz holds an MA degree in Law and Diplomacy with a focus in International Development from the Fletcher School/Tufts University, and a BA in Political Science, Economics, and International Relations from Simmons College in Boston. Raz came to the United States to pursue her undergraduate education through the IEAW in 2004. She graduated with honors from Simmons College in 2008 with a triple major in International Relations, Political Science, and Economics. She went on to receive a Master’s degree in Law and Diplomacy from The Fletcher School Tufts University in the United States.

20110522 she received her H1B visa personally from Ambassador E. Anthony Wayne in Kabul--the first issued by the U.S. Embassy Kabul Consular Section.  Raz worked in ACDI/VOCA’s D.C. office to coordinate the company’s financial services programs to promote economic development in Afghanistan.


In Afghanistan Adela Raz completed an assessment of Afghanistan's Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) and Civil Society Organizations (CSO) law. The aim of this evaluation was to identify clauses that required amendments for accurately responding to the needs of CSO and NGOs in Afghanistan. She co-authored a study about “Public Private Cooperation in Fragile States” with a focus on the New Baghlan Sugar Factory. For Care International she conducted an assessment of the Humanitarian Assistance for the Widows of Afghanistan, a micro finance project helping women develop sustainable livelihood. Raz proposed necessary recommendations to help the project create better economic opportunities for women and increase access to finance.

 

Adela Raz also has worked with the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). She identified policy areas where UANAM Central Field Office could help the Ministry of Women Affairs and its regional offices adopting approaches about women participation in economic and social arenas. She helped running the Political Rights Verification Campaign during the first presidential and parliamentary elections. She assisted the UN Special Rapporteur in writing her report on Violence against Women, Yakin Erthurk. Raz liaised with the government, UN agencies, and NGOs to create baseline data on the human rights, political and development situations and gender equity. Adela Raz also has consulted private business in developing their business plans, financial record keeping, and marketing.

In the United States Raz has worked implementing USAID projects, and she is experienced in State Department’s compliance requirements. She provided technical support to non-banking financial institutions to strengthen their market outreach, financial management, and business development.  She is a frequent commentator in the AfPak regional affairs and has appeared on several media channels.


President Hamid Karzai issued an executive order appointing Mrs. Adela Raz as the first Deputy for the Office of the Spokesperson and Director of Communications. She has comprehensive experience in the field of human rights, governance, and political affairs. She also has collaborated with the media in providing her analysis and assessment about Afghanistan’s current situation.

Adela Raz is a member of the IEAW Board of Directors where she serves as alumnae liaison charged with developing a strong alumna network and the delivery of initiatives designed to further the cause of gender equality and women’s education in Afghanistan.

She moved into a new position as Chief of Staff at the Administrative Office  of President Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai in November 2014.

President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani has appointed Adela Raz as the new Deputy Foreign Minister for economic affairs, the Administrative Office of the President said.(20160319)

The new Permanent Representative of Afghanistan to the United Nations, Mrs. Adela Raz, presented her credentials to the United Nations’ Secretary-General Antonio Guterres Friday, Mar 1, 2019.

Mrs. Adela Raz the Afghan ambassador in Washington has stepped down from her post, a senior official at the embassy said, calling the new restrictions imposed by the US Department of State on the embassy the reason for her resignation. Raz is the third senior Afghan diplomat who stepped down from her position within the past six months. Previously, the Afghan ambassadors in China and Turkmenistan resigned from their positions.(20220217)


Raz is a native Afghan and fluent in Pashto, Dari, English, and has a working knowledge of Urdu, and basic understanding of Arabic.

Last Modified 2022-02-18
Established 2013-08-17