On his appointment as the diplomatic representative of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) in the Kyrgyz Republic, Foreign Minister Mr. Erlan Abdyldayev received Mr. Shamsh Kassim-Lakhaon July 8, 2014, in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bishkek.

During the meeting Mr. Kassim-Lakha delivered copies of his credentials to the Minister. They discussed matters of mutual cooperation between the Kyrgyz Republic and the AKDN, reviewed implementation of relevant AKDN projects and outlined next steps on intensification of AKDN activities in the country. 

Following his simultaneous appointment as Executive Chairman of the Board Executive Committee of the University of Central Asia (UCA), Mr. Kassim-Lakha will also now lead the planning and building of the University, an educational institution co-founded by the Governments of Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic and His Highness the Aga Khan.

Wishing him success in his new assignments, Minister Abdyldayev expressed the hope that Mr. Kassim-Lakha’s appointments will lead to greater contribution of the AKDN projects and programs in the sustainable development of KR.

Mr. Kassim-Lakha was the founding President of the Aga Khan University, the first private university chartered in South Asia with campuses in Pakistan, Eastern Africa and the United Kingdom.  For nearly three decades he led the planning, building and operation of this internationally renowned institution established by His Highness the Aga Khan, the spiritual leader of the Shia Ismaili Muslims.

Mr. Kassim-Lakha has served in various senior positions in the Pakistani government, including as the country’s Minister of Education as well as Science and Technology in the caretaker government in 2007- 2008.  He chairs the board of Pakistan Centre for Philanthropy and is Senior Distinguished Fellow at the Munk School of Global Affairs, University of Toronto. He retired recently from the board of the International Baccalaureate Organization on completing two successive terms. In 2001-2002, with the rank of Minister of State, he lead the Task Force which recommended reforms in Pakistan’s higher education resulting in major structural changes in universities and the creation of the Higher Education Commission of which he was a member from 2007 to 2011. Mr Kassim-Lakha was also involved in the negotiations of an international treaty that led to the UCA’s establishment.

 

In recognition of his academic and social work he has received honorary degrees from McMaster University, Canada as well as from the Aga Khan University. His national awards include Sitara-e-Imtiaz and Hilal-e-Imtiaz from the President of Pakistan and Officer of the National Order of Merit from the President of France.

As AKDN’s representative in Kyrgyzstan, Mr. Kassim-Lakha replaces Ms. Nurjehan Mawani, who led AKDN’s office in Kyrgyzstan for nearly nine years before becoming the Network’s representative in Kabul, Afghanistan. 

The Aga Khan Development Network – one of the world’s largest private development systems – has a growing number of diplomatic representations across the world from East Africa to Central, South and South-East Asia to Europe. The AKDN is a group of development agencies with mandates that include health, education, architecture, culture, microfinance, rural development, disaster reduction, the promotion of private-sector enterprise, the revitalisation of historic cities and the environment. AKDN agencies conduct their programmes without regard to faith, origin or gender of beneficiaries.