Afghan Young Diplomats Begin Visit to United States

Washington D.C - A group of 15 young Afghan diplomats kicked off their training visit to the United States at a welcome reception hosted at the State Department this morning by Deputy Secretary of State William J. Burns. The Deputy Secretary was joined at the reception by Chinese Ambassador Zhang Yesui and Afghan Charge d ‘Affaires Meerwais Nab.

The Afghan Diplomat Training group is comprised of fifteen early-career Afghan diplomats who are visiting the United States to develop their diplomatic, communications, and management skills. Representatives from the U.S. and Chinese Embassies in Kabul jointly selected this group of promising young diplomats, who this past May participated in a two-week training program in Beijing sponsored by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. While in Washington, the group will learn more about U.S. policy regarding Afghanistan, U.S.-China relations, and how foreign policy is developed in the United States.

During their two-week stay, the group is scheduled to visit the Chinese and Afghan Embassies, tour Washington, D.C., visit the U.S. Congress, meet with diplomats and scholars from various think tanks, and practice diplomatic simulations at the University of Maryland.

For more information, please contact Glen Davis at 202-647-8124 or at davisgs@state.gov