Talk by: HE Homayoun Tandar, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
Ambassador Tandar spoke of the future of Afghanistan as a free and democratic society where the freedom of press gives people equal voice to all citizens. Freedom of press in Afghanitan is an important achievement and will help in national reconciliation.
The Government of Afghanistan prioritises improvements in education, equal rights for men and women and liberty for all citizens.
Ambassador Tandar would like to see the UK to continue helping and supporting democracy in Afghanistan. He emphasised supporting the Afghan youth as they constitute the majority of Afghanistan. They are a dynamic force that will help build a new future in Afghanistan.
Ambassador Tandar spoke of the sacrifices made by young soldiers which should help progress towards a better future in Afghanistan. The success of this will also depend on NATO winning the hearts and minds of the Afghan people. Ambassador did not feel it would be so difficult to win the war in Afghanistan.
BIOGRAPHY
Date of birth: 31. 08. 1956 in Kabul. Marital Status: married, two children.
EDUACATION 1975 Baccalaureate, Lycee Isteqlal (Kabul – Afghanistan); 1976 – 1980 Bachelor of Art and Archaeology in La Sorbonne (Paris IV); 1980 – 1981 Master’s Degree in Archaeology in La Sorbonne (Paris IV); 1993 – 1994 Specialization Degree, International Relations in the International Institute for Public Administration (Paris).
WORK EXPERIENCE 1980 – 1990 Representative of the Afghan Resistance in France and Personal Representative of the martyred Commander Ahmad Shah Massoud National Hero of Afghanistan;
- Search for political support to the Resistance and for humanitarian aid to the civilian population in the liberated zones;
- Governmental, political, media and public meetings, discussions and conferences in various European countries
- Organisation of the visits of various personalities and Afghan Resistance Leaders to France, Belgium, etc;- Several missions in Asia, American and Africa; - Member of the Afghan Resistance delegation in four African countries
1992 – 1993 Minister Counsellor and Charge d’Affaires Embassy of the Islamic Republic Afghanistan in Paris – France.
1993 – 1994 Manager of the Transoxian Art Gallery – Paris.
1995 – 2002 Minister Counsellor, Charge d’Affaires, Permanent Mission of the Islamic State of Afghanistan in the United Nations Office and other International Organisations in Geneva.
2001 Member of the United Front delegation during the Rome negotiations, together with the delegation of His Majesty the Former King of Afghanistan, in order to find a political solution to the war;
June 2002 – September 2007 Head of the Afghanistan Mission to the European Communities, Brussels.
July 2002 – September 2007 Ambassador of Afghanistan to the Kingdom of Belgium.
2004 – September 2007 Ambassador in charge of NATO affairs, Brussels.
October 2007 Deputy national Security Advisor, Office of the National Security Council, Kabul.
May 2009 Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Afghanistan to the Court of
St. James’s, United Kingdom.
LANGUAGES - Farsi Dari, Pashtu, French, English