The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) has received copies of the letters of credence of the newly appointed Ambassador of the State of Palestine to BiH, Sylvia Abu Laban.
Ambassador Kharoof officially began the procedure of assuming her duties on Monday, January 26th, 2026, by submitting documents to the Head of the Diplomatic Protocol Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of BiH, Mirsad Besic.
The new ambassador arrives in Sarajevo with extensive experience in the fields of economic development and social activism. According to her biography, Kharoof holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree with a specialization in organizational management.
Prior to her arrival in BiH, she held significant positions in Palestinian institutions, including the role of advisor at the Palestinian National Institution for Economic Empowerment (PNIEE), president of the “Volunteer for Hope“ foundation, and consultant for strategic planning and the empowerment of marginalized groups through educational and economic initiatives.
Her work in Jerusalem was focused on the community, the development of civil society, and the strengthening of economic opportunities, which indicates that the focus of her mandate in BiH could be, in addition to political cooperation, the strengthening of institutional and social ties.
Sylvia Kharoof succeeds Ambassador Razeq Namoora in this position, who spent a full 11 years in BiH. Namoora was a recognizable figure in the diplomatic corps in Sarajevo, and his mandate was marked by continuous advocacy for Palestinian rights and the strengthening of friendly relations between the two countries.
It is expected that the new ambassador will soon present her letters of credence to the Presidency of BiH as well, thereby officially beginning her full mandate in our country.
