US President Joe Biden on Friday nominated Indian-American Rashad Hussain as he Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom. He will lead US diplomacy to advance religious freedom. Hussain is the Director of Partnership and Global Engagement at the National Security Council. He also previously served as senior counsel in the Justice Department's National Security Division, a White House statement said.
During the Obama administration, Rashad also served as the US Special Envoy for the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), for Strategic Counter-Terrorism Communications, and as a White House deputy aide. As an envoy, Hussein has collaborated with multilateral organizations such as the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the United Nations, foreign governments and civil society organizations to expand partnerships in education, entrepreneurship, health, international security, science and technology, and other areas.
In a statement, the White House said, "Today's announcement underscores the President's commitment to build an Administration that looks like America and reflects people of all faiths. Hussain is the first Muslim to be nominated to serve as the Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom."
The statement further said that prior to joining the Obama administration, he served as Damon Keith's judicial law clerk in the US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit and was also an associate counsel for the Obama-Biden Transition Project. Hussein holds a law degree from Yale Law School. And a master's degree in Arabic and Islamic studies from Harvard University.
Meanwhile, the American Jewish Committee (AJC) praised the Biden administration for Hussain's nomination. AJC CEO David Harris said Rashad Hussain is an influential advocate of freedom of religion.