New permanent observer of Organization of Islamic Cooperation presents letter of nomination to Director-general of UNOG

Abdelouhab Derbal, the new Permanent Observer of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to the United Nations Office at Geneva, today presented his letter of nomination to Michael Møller, Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva.

Prior to his appointment to Geneva, Mr. Derbal, an Algerian national, had been serving as Ambassador of Algeria to Saudi Arabia and Algeria's Permanent Representative to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation since January 2012. He served as Head of the League of Arab States' Permanent Mission to the European Union, Belgium and Luxembourg from August 2005 to October 2011. Mr. Derbal served as an Adviser to Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika from June 2004 to July 2005, and was a member of his presidential electoral campaign in 1999, 2004 and 2009. He was elected as a member of Algeria's parliament from 1997 to 1999. From 1982 to 1997, Mr. Derbal worked at the University of Annaba in several capacities, including as Deputy Dean for scientific research and member of the Scientific Council. He also worked as a lawyer. Mr. Derbal was born in 1952 in Robbah, El-Oued, Algeria. He has a Master of Laws from Queen's University of Belfast (1981). He also has a Diploma of Advanced Studies from the same University (1979) and a degree in law from the Faculty of Law, Sciences and Economy, the University of Constantine in Algeria (1977).