Mr. Keita Ohashi, the newly designated Representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in the Islamic Republic of Iran, presented his credentials today to H.E. Dr. Amir Abbas Araghchi, Minister of Foreign Affairs. The event paves the way for Mr. Ohashi’s full assumption of responsibilities in leading UNFPA’s mandate in the country and in advancing national development priorities related to population and reproductive health. 

Mr. Ohashi assumed his role as UNFPA Representative in Iran in June 2025. He brings more than 25 years of leadership and technical experience in international development, with expertise in programme management, humanitarian coordination, strategic partnerships, and inter-agency collaboration. Over the course of his career, he has led efforts to advance maternal health, adolescent reproductive health, and demographic and statistical capacity building, particularly in complex and fragile contexts.

Before joining UNFPA Iran, Mr. Ohashi served as the UNFPA Representative in Eritrea and Gabon, and as Deputy Representative in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Chad. He also held technical and advisory positions at UNFPA Headquarters in New York and the Africa Division, in addition to serving as Programme Director with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, overseeing projects in the health, water, and sanitation sectors.

Mr. Ohashi holds a Master of Arts in International Development Studies from Ohio University and a Master of Arts in Economics from the University of East Anglia. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Demography at the University of Montreal, focusing on fertility transitions in sub-Saharan Africa. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Geography from Rikkyo University in Japan. Mr. Ohashi is fluent in English, French, and Japanese.