Afghanistan's new ambassador to Delhi refers to India as generous neighbour

NEW DELHI: Farid Mamundzay, in a series of tweets on Friday, referred to India as a "generous neighbour" and said he would always uphold the friendship between the two countries.

Afghanistan recently appointed Mamundzay as its ambassador to New Delhi.

His appointment comes at a crucial time when the Afghan government and the Taliban are expected to initiate peace talks.

"I am honored & humbled to have been designated as the new Afghan ambassador to India, a traditional and historic friend of Afghanistan. India is a generous neighbour who has stood with us in difficult times and have shared their bread with us," Farid Mamundzay said in a tweet.

He went on to add, "As a strategic partner with strong historical, political & cultural links, I intend to further strengthen our ties at all levels for a peaceful & prosperous Afghanistan and India. I am thrilled to represent Afghanistan in this critical mission together with a wonderful team."

Mamundzay also thanked Ashraf Ghani, the President of Afghanistan and Afghani Foreign Minister Mohammed Haneef Atmar.

Prior to his appointment as envoy to New Delhi, Mamundzay served as a senior political advisor to the Afghan National Security Council. He has also served as Deputy Director General at the Independent Directorate of Local Governance (IDLG) in Afghanistan.