Raz, Adela Mrs.

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)
UN Independent Vulnerability Advisory Panel Member 2026-2030 (20260203)

3. Biodata:

Mrs. 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)

Former Afghanistan ambassador to the United Nations Adela Raz has been appointed by UN Secretary-General António Guterres to an independent vulnerability advisory panel for 2026–2030.(202260203)

She is married to Matin Bek, former Chief of Staff to former afghan President Ashraf Ghani. They have two little girls.

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