Kosovo's Newest Ambassador to DC Without a University Degree!

By Mehdi Hyseni, Ph.D.

What can be said of Kosovo's diplomacy when Akan Ismaili, with merely a primary and secondary school education, has gained the position of Kosovo's ambassador to the U.S. in Washington?

"The new Ambassador of the Republic of Kosovo in the United States of America, Akan Ismaili, has no university degree, but is now the permanent and plenipotentiary ambassador of Kosovo in Washington and is expected on May 2, 2012 to submit credentials to President of the United States of America, Barack Obama."

How have the "diplomatic sieves" within the government of Kosovo, appointed an ambassador without proper qualification-as much as even a college degree? Surely, there are Kosovo Albanian intellectuals with university degrees, be it masters or doctorate of sciences, who are better qualified and have met appropriate conditions and criteria to be appointed ambassador to Washington of the U.S.

While the selection for ambassadorship to Washington has been made, it remains problematic that an unqualified, degreeless choice such as Akan Ismaili has been accepted, being that Washington is not only the capital of America, but a global symbol and center for world politics and diplomacy.

Regardless of how, and who appointed Akan Ismaili to serve as Kosovo's ambassador in Washington, the decision to appoint him was erroneous and reckless.

Choosing an individual who lacks any higher education to fill a high standing position such as ambassador of a nation reflects terribly on the foreign policy and diplomacy of Kosovo. It has undermined American diplomacy, which has created and invested immensely in building Kosovo as a free and independent democratic state.

Preferably, Pristina should have appointed an ambassador from among the best qualified prospects with a great professional understanding of the highest ranking diplomacy, rather than having someone as unfit as Akan Ismaili fill the post.

Regardless of how this mistake has been justified by Kosovo government authorities, namely Prime Minister Hashim Thaci and President Atifete Jahjaga, America does not deserve to be insulted with the appointment of an unqualified ambassador to Washington. Responsible for this diplomatic mistake is the Prime Minister, the Parliamentary Commission for Foreign Policy and the President of Kosovo. Unfortunately, they have failed the test of foreign policy and diplomacy, because strangely in the second decade of the XXI century, they have chosen and decreed Akan Ismaili as ambassador of Kosovo to the U.S., a man without any university diploma, and who furthermore fails to meet the other conditions in virtue of diplomatic law, in order to be appointed and promoted for ambassador to the United States of America.

Finally, while Akan Ismaili's decree for ambassadorship is a wrong and unprecedented case in modern diplomatic law, decision makers within Kosovo's government must understand that not only was this an unlawful appointment for ambassador to Washington, but in general, would be a wrongful appointment of ambassador in any country. Candidates must meet the fundamental and indispensable condition of having completed primary school, secondary school and a respective higher education, preferably in the social sciences. Without meeting this basic requirement, one cannot be considered for review for the post of ambassador, either for Kosovo or any other country in the world.

However, in the particular case of Akan Ismaili, the aforementioned rate of international diplomatic law apparently does not apply to provincial diplomacy of the Republic of Kosovo. Had the Prime Minister, Parliamentary Commission for Foreign Policy and President of Kosovo not acted to the contrary to this fundamental parameter, Kosovo would have been saved from facing the U.S. with shame, a devoted friend and truly dear ally, whose help had it not been for, would have resulted today in Kosovo being a mass grave of Albanians from  aggressive and genocide Serbia (1989-1999).