New NATO Senior Civilian Representative Arrives in Kabul

Before heading to Kabul, Nicholas key said “I am really looking forward to getting back to Kabul and to playing a really active and strong role in support of the Afghan search for peace. Afghan people are hoping that 2019 will be the year of peace and NATO will be doing all it can to support efforts to bring peace to Afghanistan.”
Working closely with NATO-led Resolute Support mission to train, advise and assist the Afghan security forces and institutions, Sir Nicholas will advise the North Atlantic Council on the alliance’s efforts in Afghanistan and relations with Afghan partners, the statement said.
According to the statement, he will liaise with senior members of the Afghan government, as well as with Afghan officials and members of parliament. He will also coordinate with representatives of the international community and engage with representatives of Afghan civil society and international non-governmental organizations.
Previously, Sir Nicholas served for more than a year as the United Kingdom’s Ambassador in Kabul.
He brings extensive experience on Afghanistan and the South Asia region, having also worked as UK Regional Coordinator for Southern Afghanistan in Helmand province in 2006–2007 and as Head of the Pakistan and Afghanistan Section in the South Asian Department of the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office in 1995–1997.
He also has extensive experience in helping to build peace in fragile and conflict-affected states, having served as the UN Secretary General’s Special Representative in Somalia.
Sir Nicholas replaces Ambassador Cornelius Zimmermann of Germany, who had been in the post since March 2017.