Born in Kuwait City, Ms. Al-Mulla is a graduate of the American University in Beirut where she obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Political Studies in 1968, and her Master of Arts in International Relations in 1972, both with honours.
She joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1968 and participated in regular and special sessions of the General Assembly of the United Nations and represented Kuwait in various committees, conferences and panels. From 1977 until 1994 she served as a member of the Permanent Mission of Kuwait to the United Nations in New York where she held several posts, the last being Deputy Permanent Representative.
In 1991 and 1992, Ms. Al-Mulla participated in meetings on Kuwaiti POWs and detainees. In 1992 – 1993 she represented Kuwait in the mulitlateral talks on Arms Control and Regional Security in the Middle East.
She was appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Zimbabwe, and to the Republics of South Africa, Namibia, Mauritius and Botswana on non-residency basis in 1994. From 1996 to 1999 she was Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of South Africa, and to the Republics of Namibia, Mauritius and Botswana on non-residency basis.
Ms. Al-Mulla took up her current assignment as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Austria, and to the Republic of Hungary, the Slovak Republic, the Republic of Slovenia on non-residency basis and Permanent Representative of the State of Kuwait to the United Nations organizations in Vienna in January 2000.
Dr Kazem Behbehani, PhD (London), FRCPath (UK), of Kuwait, joined the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Geneva headquarters in 1990. He became WHO Assistant Director-General for External Relations & Governing Bodies in 2003 and in 2005 became the WHO Envoy. He co-chairs Harvard University’s scientific advisory board for the environment and public health.
He joined WHO’s HIV/AIDS programme, was appointed programme manager in the Tropical Disease Research Division, and subsequently became Director of the Control of Tropical Diseases Division and Eastern Mediterranean Liaison Office in Geneva.
Before joining WHO, Dr Behbehani was Professor of Immunology at the Faculty of Medicine of Kuwait University, and held the posts of: Vice Dean of the Faculty of Science, Vice Dean (Research) of the Faculty of Medicine, Vice President for Research of Kuwait University and a member of the University Council. He became a visiting professor at Harvard Medical School.
Dr Behbehani is actively involved in environmental and health issues, health management, application of information technology to health (eHealth), and development of interactive educational materials for public, professional and medical use (eLearning). He has written more than 100 scientific publications and a book on science and technology.
