Career Diplomat Dr. Odeen Ishmael dies

[youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbB2xSAqalQ” width=”100%” height=”315″]

DPI, Guyana, Saturday, January, 5, 2019

Veteran retired Guyanese Diplomat, Dr. Mohammed Ali Odeen Ishmael, CCH, died today in the United States of America (USA) at the age of 70.

Dr, Ishmael, who began his life as a teacher, authored several books including the 1989 “Problems of the Transition of Education in the Third World”.

In 1992, Dr. Ishmael represented Guyana, at the meeting of Information Ministers of the Caribbean Community (CAROCOM) in Kingston, Jamaica, his first diplomatic representation. From 1993 to 2003, he represented Guyana at the Organization of American States (OAS) in Washington, DC, where he served for two periods, as Chairman of the Permanent Council.

The distinguished diplomat retired from the diplomatic service in June 2014. He last served as Guyana’s Ambassador to Kuwait, having been appointed to that post in January 2011. In 2012, he was appointed as non-resident ambassador to Qatar. Previously, he also served as ambassador to Venezuela (November 2003-January 2011).

In 2009, Dr. Ishmael was elected to a one-year term as Chairman of the Latin American Council, the political governing body of the Latin American and Caribbean Economic System (SELA), headquartered in Caracas, Venezuela.

In 1997, Dr. Ishmael received the Cacique’s Crown of Honour, Guyana’s third highest national honour, for his outstanding work in diplomacy. Back in 1974, he was awarded the Gandhi Centenary Gold Medal for academic achievement at the University of Guyana. In January 2002, in Washington DC, United States of America, he was honoured with the Martin Luther King Legacy Award for International Service. The US Congress, in a joint resolution, also paid a special tribute to him in October 2003 just before he completed his service in the United States.

Dr. Mohammed Ali Odeen Ishmael, CCH leaves to mourn his wife Evangeline Ishmael, his son Safraz and daughter Nadeeza.