Noof Al-Otaishan

Former Keele University student Noof Alotaishan made history by becoming the first female diplomat from Saudi Arabia to be seconded to the President’s Office of the United Nations General Assembly. 

The appointment was commended on social media by HRH Princess Reema bint Bandar bin Sultan, the Saudi Ambassador to the United States, who congratulated Noof on the “amazing” achievement - highlighting that Noof’s presence in this position is a milestone for Saudi women on the international diplomatic stage, and women in diplomacy worldwide. 

Noof, who graduated from Keele in 2019 with a degree in International Law and Politics, is representing Saudi Arabia at the 79th session of the General Assembly, taking place at the UN Headquarters in New York. And she hopes her appointment can act as an inspiration for other women from Saudi Arabia. 

She said: “When I was told that I was the first Saudi female diplomat to be seconded to the President’s Office, it felt quite surreal. The Saudi Ambassador to the United States congratulated me and told me they wanted to celebrate the news, and it was a very proud moment when she posted a photo of me on her social media channels, which all of my family saw. 

“Hopefully my experience can help other women in Saudi Arabia believe in themselves and think ‘I can do it, too’. There is this idea that is a male dominated world, and females won’t be supported but I have been supported by my Ambassador H.E. Abdulaziz Alwasil as well as my male colleagues, so it is a mentality more than facts.” 

In her current role, Noof is an advisor to the Political, Peace, and Security Affairs team at the United Nations office, with a specific focus on the Middle East, Gaza and Palestine. A career highlight came recently when her inputs were taking into consideration during H.E. Philemon Yang, President of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly speech, which he delivered on International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. 

She said: “I get a lot of excitement from the job but I also do get a sense of imposter syndrome sometimes, especially when meeting with the President and other high-level people. I think it’s because I am still relatively new to the political world, but I know that will change with experience. 

“It makes me happy when I can give an opinion based on my experience, knowledge and background and you see it making a difference. For example, sometimes I’ll look at something as a person from the Middle East and I’ll be able to adjust the wording to be more relevant to the community, and you see people listen and change it.” 

Before joining the team, Noof served as a diplomat for over two years at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Saudi Arabia. Additionally, she has academic experience, having worked as a lecturer for a year, teaching public law courses at Al-Asala Colleges in her home country, in addition to her experience as a legal researcher.  

Prior to studying at Keele, Noof achieved a Bachelor’s degree in Law from Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University in Khobar, in Saudi Arabia. She has also earned numerous licenses, certifications, and completed various courses. 

Reflecting on her time at Keele, Noof said: “When I came to Keele in 2018 it was my first time living alone, which was quite a big experience for me. I was lucky that I had and still have a supportive family especially my dad, he was supportive of me studying abroad, knowing it will play a huge role in my growth and future career.”  

“I didn’t want to live in a city and when I found out about Keele, it sounded perfect for me. The university and course were highly rated and I like to explore, so Keele having one of the biggest campuses in the UK was very appealing. I always tell people now that Keele is one of the best options in the UK because it has a beautiful campus but it can also be quiet, so you can focus on your education. 

“The curriculum was great and the staff and lecturers in general were amazing. One of my lecturers used to talk about his experiences from visiting the White House and the Russian Federation before the collapse of the Soviet Union, so he had a lot of lived experienced and to learn from a person who had actually been there on the ground was amazing for me. So much of what I learnt at Keele is useful in my job now.”