No: 355, 17 November 2014

Upon the proposal of our country, İsmail Aramaz, Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to Afghanistan, has been appointed by NATO Secretary General as the NATO Senior Civilian Representative in Afghanistan.

Senior Civilian Representative is responsible for carrying forward NATO’s political and military objectives in Afghanistan, and to this end, liaising with the Afghanistan Government, civil society, representatives of the international community in Afghanistan and its neighboring countries. Functioning as a direct channel of communication between NATO Headquarters and Afghanistan, the Senior Civilian Representative provides the North Atlantic Council with advice on the most effective policies in ensuring the overall coherence of the Alliance’s relations with Afghanistan.

The appointment of Ambassador Aramaz to this post is also a reflection of Turkey’s lead role in the significant activities undertaken by NATO. In this regard, Turkey will assume the Framework Nation role for Kabul in the Resolute Support Mission, which will be launched after the ISAF is concluded on 31 December 2014 to train, advise, and assist Afghanistan National Security Forces (ANSF). Turkey will also undertake the responsibility for the Kabul International Airport.