The U.S. Department of State has appointed Mary Kabir-Seraj Bechopping an Afghan-American diplomat as Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, with a specific focus on Afghanistan-related issues.

She is tasked with leading US policy toward Afghanistan within this bureau.

Prior to her, Thomas West served as the US Special Representative for Afghanistan, and Rina Amiri was appointed Special Envoy for Afghan Women, Girls, and Human Rights.

Mary Kabir-Seraj, 33, was born in California, holds a Political Science degree from UCLA (2016), and a Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia School of Law. She previously served as a Legal Advisor in the State Department and a Foreign Affairs Advisor in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Announcing her new role on LinkedIn, she wrote: “I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position as Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of South and Central Asia at US Department of State!”

This appointment marks a formal placement of Afghanistan affairs under the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs in the US State Department.

The move has been welcomed by members of the Afghan-American community, who see it as a step toward greater representation and more nuanced policymaking.

“This appointment sends an important signal,” said an Afghan-American advocacy group in Washington. “It shows that voices from our community are being heard and that there’s recognition of the unique insight we can bring to U.S. policy in the region.”

The official is expected to begin their new role in the coming weeks, participating in briefings with congressional leaders, interagency partners, and foreign diplomats.