Afghanistan Peace CampaignShe is tasked with leading US policy toward Afghanistan within this bureau.\
In the first political appointment related to Afghanistan by the Trump administration, Mary Kabir-Seraj Bechopping, an Afghan-American, was named Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs.
She is tasked with leading US policy toward Afghanistan within this bureau.
Prior to her, Thomas West served as the US Special Representative for Afghanistan, and Rina Amiri was appointed Special Envoy for Afghan Women, Girls, and Human Rights.
Mary Kabir-Seraj, 33, was born in California, holds a Political Science degree from UCLA (2016), and a Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia School of Law. She previously served as a Legal Advisor in the State Department and a Foreign Affairs Advisor in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Announcing her new role on LinkedIn, she wrote: “I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position as Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of South and Central Asia at US Department of State!”
Her appointment has sparked discussion among Afghan political observers:
Sayed Abdullah Sadiq, political analyst: “If Ms. Kabir-Siraj wants to represent Afghans sincerely, she should visit Afghanistan and experience the realities on the ground. Coming from a royal Afghan family, it’s unclear how connected she is to ordinary people’s struggles.”
Wais Naseri, analyst: “The effectiveness of any dual-national appointee depends on their knowledge, experience, and the quality of advice they provide to US decision-makers.”
Tafsir Siyahposh, a women’s rights activist, criticized the past representatives’ lack of impact: “Had they truly represented Afghan women, the current crisis might have been avoided. Their work unfortunately failed to bring real change.”
This appointment marks a formal placement of Afghanistan affairs under the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs in the US State Department.