 |
| Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury |
Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury was Foreign Advisor (Foreign Minister) of Bangladesh from 2007 to 2009. During his four decades of public service career, he has held the posts as Ambassador and Permanent Representative to both New York (2001-2007), and Geneva (1996-2001). At the United Nations (UN), he had also been Chairman of a number of Committees including Social Commission, Population and Development Commission, Second (Economic) Committee, Information Committee, and President of the Conference on Disarmament. At the World Trade Organization, he chaired the Trade Policy Review Body, and the Committee on Trade and Development. He had been closely associated with the UN Reforms Process, and as a “Facilitator” helped shape the principle of “Responsibility to Protect” adopted by World Leaders at the UN Summit of 2005.
He was knighted by the Pope in 1999. In 2004, the New York City Council issued a Proclamation naming him as “one of the world’s leading diplomats”, acknowledging his global contribution to advancing welfare, alleviating poverty, and combating terrorism.
Dr Chowdhury has a PhD and MA in International Relations from the Australian National University, Canberra. Earlier, he obtained a First Class in BA (Honours) from the Dhaka University. He has addressed seminars in many universities and think-tanks around the world. He has been a prolific writer on issues pertaining to current multilateral diplomacy and contributes regularly to learned journals and the media.
