List of ambassadors of Canada to Afghanistan

Ambassador of Canada to Afghanistan
Incumbent
David Sproule
(special representative)
since October 7, 2022
SeatDoha, Qatar[1]
NominatorPrime Minister of Canada
AppointerGovernor General of Canada
Term lengthAt His Majesty's pleasure
Inaugural holderCharles Eustace McGaughey
FormationMarch 21, 1968

The ambassador of Canada to Afghanistan is the official representative of the Canadian government to the government of Afghanistan. The official title for the ambassador is Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Canada to the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. The current senior Canadian diplomat titled as the Special Representative of Canada to the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is David Sproule who was appointed on the advice of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on October 7, 2022.[2]

The Embassy of Canada is located at Street No. 15, House No. 256, Wazir Akbar Khan in Kabul, Afghanistan.

History of diplomatic relations

Diplomatic relations between Canada and Afghanistan were established in 1968, with the first ambassador, Charles Eustace McGaughey, appointed on the advice of Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson on March 21, 1968.[3] Diplomatic relations were severed in December 1979 the change in government resulting from the Soviet–Afghan War.[3] Diplomatic relations were restored between Canada and Afghanistan on January 22, 2002,[3] following the 2001 Bonn Conference and the appointment of Hamid Karzai as Chairman of the Afghan Interim Administration. Relations between Canada and Afghanistan were suspended on following the fall of Kabul, and the taliban take over.[4] The most recent Ambassador was Reid Sirrs.

List of Canadian ambassadors to Afghanistan

No. Name Term of office Career Prime Minister nominated by Ref.
Start Date PoC. End Date
1 Charles Eustace McGaughey March 21, 1968 September 17, 1968 July 10, 1969 Career Lester B. Pearson
(1963-1968)
2 Charles John Small July 15, 1969 October 12, 1969 August 19, 1972 Career Pierre Elliott Trudeau
(1968-1979)
3 John Gaylard Hadwen May 23, 1972 July 20, 1974 1974 Career
4 Keith William MacLellan June 10, 1974 October 14, 1974 July 12, 1977 Career
5 William Frank Stone June 30, 1977 September 25, 1977 August 25, 1978 Career
6 Albert Douglas Small November 23, 1978 November 8, 1979 1979 Career
1979 – January 22, 2002, Diplomatic relations severed as the Canadian government refused to recognize the Afghanistan government
7 Konrad Sigurdson January 24, 2002 2003 Career Jean Chrétien
(1993-2003)
8 Christopher Alexander July 31, 2003 September 3, 2003 2005 Career
9 David Sproule October 5, 2005 December 2005 April 2007 Career Paul Martin
(2003-2006)
10 Arif Lalani April 24, 2007 August 2008 Career Stephen Harper
(2006-2015)
11 Ron Hoffmann September 2, 2008 July 2009 Career [5]
12 William Crosbie June 9, 2009 September 2011 Career [6][7]
Shelley Whiting
(Chargé d'affaires)
November 21, 2011 May 20, 2012 Career
13 Glenn V. Davidson August 8, 2011 June 2, 2012 July 2013 Non-Career
James Hill
(Chargé d'affaires)
July 24, 2013 September 28, 2013 Career
David Collins
(Chargé d'affaires)
August 20, 2013 September 15, 2013 Career
14 Deborah Lyons July 10, 2013 October 16, 2013 August 2016 Career
15 Kenneth Neufeld June 1, 2016 September 4, 2016 August 2017 Career Justin Trudeau
(2015–Present)
16 François Rivest August 17, 2017 August 28, 2017 August 2018 Career
17 David Metcalfe September 4, 2018 October 8, 2018 October 2020 Career [8]
18 Reid Sirrs October 14, 2020 December 29, 2020 Career
David Sproule
Special Representative of Canada
October 7, 2022 Present Career [2]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Canada-Afghanistan relations". Government of Canada. Retrieved April 9, 2023. Canada's Special Representative for Afghanistan, David Sproule, is currently based in Doha, where he coordinates with allies on a joint international response to the crisis in Afghanistan.
  2. ^ a b "Orders In Council PC 2022-1088". orders-in-council.canada.ca. Government of Canada. October 7, 2022. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
  3. ^ a b c DeLong 2020, p. 13.
  4. ^ McKenzie-Sutter, Holly (August 16, 2021). "Canada closes embassy in Afghanistan as Taliban forces advance on Kabul". Canada's National Observer. Retrieved February 21, 2022.
  5. ^ "Ottawa names career diplomat as Afghan ambassador". CTV News. Ottawa. The Canadian Press. September 4, 2008. Retrieved September 4, 2008.
  6. ^ "Ottawa appoints new ambassador to Afghanistan". Retrieved June 22, 2009.[dead link]
  7. ^ "Canada Appoints Next Ambassador to Afghanistan". June 16, 2009. Archived from the original on July 18, 2011. Retrieved June 22, 2009.
  8. ^ Global Affairs Canada (September 7, 2018). "Diplomatic appointments". gcnws (Press release). Retrieved October 19, 2020.
Bibliography