DJIBOUTI: Rachad Farah, the South's candidate

After failing to get the support of Paris for his candidacy as director general of Unesco, Djibouti’s ambassador to France has gone on a tour of Asian countries 

Djibouti diplomat Rachad Farah

Enjoying support from members of OIC, African Unity and other countries, a confident career diplomat in his exclusive talk with Pakistan Observer said he had brought a special message from his President for government of Pakistan in this regard.

“I need solidarity from countries of South to carry out my programmes for its youths, tolerance, health, science and technology and education for refugees,” he said.

The election to be held in October next, Rachad Farah, who is also special representative of his country to UNESCO in Paris said he wants to use the tool of UNESCO for building ‘Highway of Knowledge’ between universities of South. Eighty percent refugees in the world are Muslims and he has a plan of action for them in the field of education.

Fifty-eight Executive Members of the UNESCO Board will cast their votes in the election.

There were only two DGs of UNESCO from South so far in the long history of UNESCO. Now the time has come South should get headship of this important body of the UN, he said.

From Pakistan, the Special Envoy will go to Thailand, Bangladesh, China, Japan, South Korea and Vietnam.

Enjoying a long career in diplomacy, Rachad Farah served Djibouti in ambassadorial positions in several countries. Djibouti is situated in the Horn of Africa at the crossroads of Africa and the Arab world.

Profile of Rachad Farah

Extraordinary and Plenipo tentiary Ambassador of the Republic of Djibouti to France

Permanent Delegate of Djibouti to UNESCO Personal Representative of the Head of State to the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF) Since 2004, Rachad Farah has been resident Ambassador to France, where he has also been representing Djibouti in Italy, the United Kingdom, Tunisia, Algeria, Portugal, Spain, Monaco and Iceland.

He was accredited to the Republic of Germany, the Helvetic Confederation and the Kingdom of Morocco until 2011, on which date Djibouti opened embassies in these three countries. As permanent Delegate to UNESCO, Rachad FARAH strives to achieve the goal of “Building Peace in the Minds of Men and Women” through education, culture, and dialogue among people and civilizations. Elected to the Executive Board of UNESCO in 2009, he has been Vice Chairperson of the Africa Group to the said Board since 2012.

Assisted by UNESCO, Mr. Rachad FARAH organized the first Think Tank in East Africa, “The Great Horizon,” in liaison with Universities in East Africa and the Intellectual Diaspora. Djibouti has been assigned to house the Headquarters For its fifth edition, the last forum took place in Djibouti in 2010, in the presence of the Ministers for Youth in East Africa and the Assembly of Youth of East Africa.

As part of his activities for the Francophonie, Rachad FARAH has been dealing with cultural and political issues, since 1977.