Brussels: Britain's ambassador in Kabul, Mark Sedwill, will be NATO's new civilian representative in Afghanistan, alliance diplomats confirmed on Tuesday, ahead of a major international conference on the country.
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen will
publicly present Sedwill, who will coordinate civilian efforts
in Afghanistan with the military alliance, at a press
conference at 1445 GMT (2015 IST) on Tuesday, the diplomats
confirmed.
"The new appointee succeeds Ambassador Fernando Gentilini
who served as NATO's fourth senior civilian representative in
Afghanistan from May 2008 to January 2010," NATO said in a
statement announcing the press conference.
Sedwill will be "responsible for carrying forward the
political-military aspects of the alliance's assistance to the
Afghan government.
"He will work closely with the Afghan government, ISAF
(NATO-led International Security Assistance Force), the United
Nations and other key stakeholders in Afghanistan," it said.
Last week, a NATO spokesperson said the new nominee would
have a bigger team and a beefed up role, as the alliance seeks
to streamline military and civilian efforts to help rebuild
Afghanistan, and beat a Taliban-led insurgency.
PTI
First Published: Tuesday, January 26, 2010, 18:52