New Delhi: Former Spokesperson of MEA and Joint Secretary in the XP division, Syed Akbaruddin, has been appointed the next Permanent Representative of India to the UN, New York.
This will be the first-ever ambassadorial appointment for Akbaruddin and he will replace Asoke Mukerji.
Currently Akbaruddin served as Additional Secretary in charge of Indo-Africa Summit held in October.
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He was hand-picked by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and has been chosen for the high-profile top diplomatic job in New York as the UN in its 70th year has decided to have for the first time text-based negotiations with all 193-member countries for reforms and expansion of the UN Security Council.
It is seen as a move that signifies Modi gives way to meritocracy and not the usual trappings of bureaucracy which matters most.
(With PTI inputs)