United Nations, Sep 3 (IANS): UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has announced the appointment of Roza Otunbayeva of Kyrgyzstan as his new special representative for Afghanistan.

Otunbayeva will also serve as Head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, the UN chief's press office said in a statement on Friday.

Otunbayeva succeeds Deborah Lyons of Canada, "to whom the Secretary-General expresses his gratitude for her dedicated service," the statement added.

She brings to the position over 35 years of professional experience in leadership, diplomacy, civic engagement, and international cooperation, the statement noted.

She served as President of the Kyrgyz Republic from 2010 to 2011, and on three occasions as Foreign mMnister, most recently as acting Minister in 2005, Xinhua news agency reported.

Otunbayeva held several senior diplomatic positions, including as ambassador of the Kyrgyz Republic to Britian, the US and Canada.

She also served with the UN as deputy special representative of the Secretary-General in the UN Observer Mission in Georgia from 2002 to 2004.