The Foreign Minister congratulates Political Director Kai Eide

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has today announced his intention to appoint Ambassador Kai Eide, Political Director of the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as UN Special Representative for Afghanistan.

“I am proud that Kai Eide now will be appointed to the key post of UN Special Representative for Afghanistan. The Special Representative will have an extremely important role in improving and strengthening coordination of the international efforts in Afghanistan. Kai Eide is an excellent choice for the job, and I am pleased that he enjoys such broad international support. He has good contacts in the Afghan Government, which will facilitate closer cooperation between the UN and Afghanistan,” said Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.

“Norway attaches great importance to the UN’s role as coordinator of the international efforts in Afghanistan. We need a strong UN that is able to take on this task. Eide will now play a key role in Afghanistan for the international community,” said the Foreign Minister.  

“Given his extensive experience from the Balkans and in the UN, the OSCE and NATO, Kai Eide is in a better position than most to understand the challenges involved in coordinating the international efforts in Afghanistan,” said Mr Støre.

“Eide has done an excellent job as Political Director and a close colleague. I will miss him here at the Ministry, but Norway has a proud tradition of making its best expertise available to the UN for dealing with important international tasks,” said the Foreign Minister.

Kai Eide will take up his new post shortly after consultation with the UN.

Kai Eide's CV