Born: 12 May 1948, Kazakhstan
Died: NA
Country most active: Kazakhstan
Also known as: NA
Akmaral Haidarqyzy Arystanbekova, born in Almaty to a Sunni Muslim Kazakh family, is a distinguished Kazakhstani diplomat and academic. Graduating with honors in Chemistry from Kazakh State University in 1971, she furthered her education with a Ph.D. in 1975. Arystanbekova commenced her professional journey as a faculty member at Kazakh State University, contributing from 1975 to 1978.
Her career includes pivotal roles such as Chief Secretary of the Central Committee of the Kazakh Komsomol (1978-1983) and Chairwoman of the Presidium of the Kazakh Society for Friendship and Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries (1984-1989). Notably, she served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic from November 1989 to December 1991.
Arystanbekova made history as the first Permanent Representative of Kazakhstan to the United Nations, serving from 1992 to 1999. In this role, she also became the fourth female ambassador among the 176 UN member states. Her contributions extended to key positions, including Vice-President of the 49th session of the UN General Assembly and Vice-Chairman of the Executive Board of UNICEF in 1998.
Post-UN, Arystanbekova continued her diplomatic endeavors as the Ambassador to France and Permanent Representative to UNESCO. Since 2003, she has held the position of Ambassador at Large of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Her personal life reflects a commitment to academia, with a diplomatic rank of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary since 1993. Fluent in English and French, she is the author of six monographs and numerous scholarly papers on international relations, world politics, and holds a doctorate degree in world history. A respected professor of international studies, Arystanbekova’s enduring legacy is marked by her significant contributions to Kazakhstan’s diplomatic landscape.