Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury

Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury is Principal Research Fellow at the Institute of South Asian Studies National University of Singapore. He was Foreign Advisor (Foreign Minister) of Bangladesh from 2007 to 2009. During his public service career of four decades, he has held the posts as Ambassador and Permanent Representative to both New York (2001-07), and Geneva (1996-2001). At the United Nations, he has 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. 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. He has been a prolific writer on issues pertaining to current multilateral diplomacy and contributes regularly to learned journals and the media.