Dutch diplomat appointed Nato representative in Afghanistan

Tuesday 07 August 2012

Dutch diplomat Maurits Jochems was on Tuesday appointed Nato's
senior civilian representative in Afghanistan by secretary general Anders Fogh Rasmussen.

Jochems, currently Dutch ambassador to Estonia, replaces the Englishman Simon Gass who has been in the post since April 2011.

He will represent the alliance's political leadership in Kabul and work to support Nato's goal of a sovereign, secure and democratic Afghanistan.

'Ambassador Jochems brings with him an in-depth knowledge of Afghanistan and the wider region,' Rasmussen said in a statement. 'His appointment comes at a crucial time as we continue to hand over more areas of security control to the Afghan National Security Forces.'

Pakistan

Jochems was deployed to Pakistan to manage Nato's disaster relief during the earthquake in 2005, and was interim senior civilian representative in Afghanistan in 2008.

Dutch foreign minister Uri Rosenthal said the appointment of a Dutchman to the post fits in with the close involvement of the Netherlands in Afghanistan.

Jochems takes up his new post in mid-October.

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