H.E. Dr Zia Nezam, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to Italy, visits the NATO Defense College

On 29 January 2014 the NATO Defense College (NDC) was honoured to receive the visit of H.E. Dr Zia NEZAM, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to Italy.

NDC Commandant LtGen Arne Bård DALHAUG (NOR A) warmly welcomed Ambassador Nezam and his Defence Attaché, Col M. Asef AZADI. The Commandant and the distinguished guests were then joined by the following members of the College leadership: Cmdre Harald HAKONSEN (NOR N), Director of Management; BrigGen Luigi EPIFANIO (ITA A), Senior Italian Officer; Col Kees MARSELIS (NLD F), Military Assistant; and Col Giuseppe MORABITO (ITA A), Head of the Middle East Faculty. During an exhaustive roundtable, the guests were briefed on the goals and activities of the College and had an opportunity to discuss these topics at length.

H.E. Dr Zia Nezam has been Ambassador to Italy since 2012. Previously, he served as Senior Advisor in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 2010 to 2012, and as Ambassador to the Kingdom of Belgium from 2007 to 2010, where he also covered the position of Chief of the Afghanistan Mission to the European Union, non-resident Ambassador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, and the Hellenic Republic, and was responsible for relations with NATO. From 2003 to 2010 he was Ambassador to the Republic of Austria; during this period he was also non-resident Ambassador to the Republic of Hungary, Permanent Representative to UNIDO, Permanent Representative to the UNODC Office, Permanent Representative to the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty Organization, Representative to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, and Resident Representative to the IAEA. He previously held positions of reponsibility in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Director of the Legal Department, Deputy Director of the Legal Department, and Member of the UN Department), and in the Ministry of Justice (Counsellor to the Legal Department). He holds a Doctorate in International Law from the University of Nice (France), and is the author of scholarly publications on topics such as “The rights of land-locked countries”, “Constitutional issues in Afghanistan”, and “The role of the public sector in the economy”.

NDC Public Affairs Office
(Prepared by Ms Giulia A. Bruni Roccia, ITA C)