At 10.00 this morning, the Holy Father Francis received in audience H.E. Mr. Mahmoud Ahmed Samir Samy, Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt to the Holy See, on the occasion of the presentation of his credential letters.

The following is a brief biography of the new ambassador:

H.E. Mr. Mahmoud Ahmed Samir Samy
Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt

Mr. Mahmoud Ahmed Samir Samy was born on 13 September 1963.

He graduated in law from Ein-Shams University - Faculty of Law, Cairo (1984), then obtained a diploma in Refugee Law from the International Institute of Humanitarian Law in San Remo, Italy (2001) and attended a Visitors’ Program for Diplomats accredited to the United Nations at the New York School of Law (UNITAR, New York, 2005). Finally he obtained a diploma from the Rhodes Academy of Law and Politics (Greece, 2005).

He has held the following offices, among others: official in the Department of International Legal Affairs and Treaties (1986-1988); third Embassy Secretary in Rome and Deputy Permanent Representative at the FAO (1988-1992); second Secretary at the Division of Environmental Issues at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1992-1994); first Embassy Secretary in Washington D.C. (1994-1998); legal adviser in the Cabinet of the Minister of Foreign Affairs (1998-2002); head of the Anti-Terrorism Unit in the Cabinet of the Minister of Foreign Affairs (2000-2002); legal counsel and representative of Egypt at the Sixth Committee of the General Assembly of the Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York (2002-2006); deputy assistant to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, head of the Department for International Treaties (2008-2009); Ambassador to the Netherlands (2009-2013); deputy assistant to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and head of the Department of Environment and Sustainable Development (2013-2015); and currently, assistant to the Minister of Foreign Affairs for International Legal Affairs and the Treaties (since 2015).

Languages known: Arabic, French, English and Italian.