October 2014

0

Bahrain

Mohamed Ali Ahmed assumed the position of deputy chief of mission on Sept. 2, having previously served as the assistant defense attaché at the embassy.

Bangladesh

Mohammad Ziauddin became ambassador of Bangladesh to the United States on Sept. 18, 2014 having most recently held the post of ambassador-at-large of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina with the rank and status of state minister to the government of Bangladesh (2009-14). He also previously served as ambassador to Italy, with concurrent accreditation as ambassador to Albania and Bosnia-Herzegovina, as well as permanent representative of Bangladesh to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), World Food Program (WFP) and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). Ambassador Ziauddin, who joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with seniority in 1974, has also served abroad as third and second secretary at the Bangladesh High Commission in London; first secretary in Nairobi; and counselor and deputy permanent representative at the Permanent Mission of Bangladesh to the United Nations in New York. His postings at home include director-general of international organizations in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, India director in the Foreign Minister’s Office and chief of protocol for the government of Bangladesh. Ambassador Ziauddin completed intermediate of arts from Notre Dame College and obtained a bachelor’s degree with honors and a master’s degree in English literature from Dhaka University. He is married to Yasmeen Ziauddin, and they have a son and a daughter.

Brazil

Eduardo Frighetto departed the post of second secretary on Aug. 18.

Jean Karydakis assumed the position of first secretary on Aug. 13 and is head of the press section. Karydakis, who holds a law degree, previously worked at the Ministry of External Relations in Brasilia.

Franklin Silva Netto assumed the position of counselor on July 10, having previously served as head of the International Office of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation.

Pedro Saldanha departed the post of counselor on June 18.

Czech Republic

Marketa Balkova depart the post of political office on Sept. 8, which Balkova held since 2010.

Petra Jacinova assumed the position of political officer on Sept. 1. Jacinova previously served as assistant to the deputy minister at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Prague (2013-14); deputy chief of mission of the Czech Representation in Havana, Cuba (2009-12); and desk officer at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2009.

Petr Michalek assumed the position of political and economic officer on Aug. 11. Michalek previously served in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Prague (2008-12 and 2013-14) and as a transatlantic diplomatic fellow at the U.S. State Department in the Energy Resources Bureau (2012-13).

Martin Pizinger departed the post of economy and public officer on Aug. 15.

France

Gérard Araud, 61, a career diplomat, became ambassador of France to the United States on Sept. 18, 2014. He previously held numerous positions within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development, notably including director for strategic affairs, security and disarmament (2000-03), ambassador of France to Israel (2003-06), director-general for political affairs and security (2006-09) and, most recently, permanent representative of France to the United Nations in New York (2009-14). Over the course of his career, Ambassador Araud has developed specialist knowledge in two key areas: the Middle East and strategic and security issues. As regards the latter, he was the French negotiator on the Iranian nuclear issue from 2003 to 2006. In New York, at the Security Council, he notably contributed to the adoption of resolutions on Libya (1970 and 1973), Côte d’Ivoire (1975), the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali and the Central African Republic, and he participated in debates on the Syrian and Ukrainian crises. He has written numerous journal articles, including an article recently published in the journal Commentaire on the outbreak of World War I, as well as an article in the journal Esprit on the search for a new world order.

Germany

Peter Wittig became ambassador of Germany to the United States on May 21, 2014 having most recently served as permanent representative of Germany to the United Nations, representing his country on the Security Council during its 2011-12 membership. Ambassador Wittig joined the German Foreign Service in 1982. He has served in Madrid, New York (Permanent Mission to the United Nations), as private secretary to the foreign minister at the Foreign Office headquarters, and as ambassador to Lebanon. As ambassador to Cyprus, he also was the special envoy of the German government for the “Cyprus Question.” In 2006, Ambassador Wittig was appointed director-general for the United Nations and Global Issues at the Foreign Office in Berlin. Before starting his career in the German Foreign Service, Wittig studied history, political science and law at Bonn, Freiburg, Canterbury and Oxford universities, and he taught as an assistant professor at the University of Freiburg. He has written articles on the history of ideas and on foreign policy. Ambassador Wittig is married to journalist and writer Huberta von Voss-Wittig, and the couple has four children: Valeska, Maximilian, Augustin and Felice.

Slovenia

Vladimir Kolmanic assumed the position of deputy chief of mission on Sept. 8, 2014 replacing Ondina Blokar-Drobic, who departed the post Aug. 31.

Cari