Odeen Ishmael (January 29, 1948 – January 5, 2019) was a career Guyanese diplomat. Personal life Ishmael traces his ancestry back to what are now the Indian states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. He has two children with his wife Evangeline: Safraz and Nadeeza. He also has eight brothers and three sisters, which makes him the uncle of many children. Before diplomatic appointment, Ishmael was a teacher in Guyana and The Bahamas. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Geography, Post-graduate Diploma in Education, PhD in Education. Career He last served as Guyana's ambassador to Kuwait, having been appointed to that post in January 2011. In 2012, he was appointed a non-resident ambassador to Qatar. Previously, he also served as ambassador to Venezuela (November 2003-January 2011) and to the United States (June 1993–October 2003) and as Permanent Representative to the Organization of American States (OAS) (June 1993–October 2003). At the OAS he served for two periods as Chairman of the Permanent Council. In 2009, he was elected to a one-year term as Chairman of the Latin American Council, the political governing body of the Latin American and Caribbean Economic System (SELA), headquartered in Caracas, Venezuela. Diplomatic positions: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Guyana to State of Kuwait from January 2011 to June 2014 and Non-resident Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Guyana to the State of Qatar from April 2013 to June 2014 . June 1993 to October 2003: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the United States of America and concurrently Permanent Representative to the Organization of American States (OAS). October 2003 to January 2011: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Guyana to Venezuela. Diplomatic representation: November 1992 – Represented Guyana at the meeting of Information Ministers of the Caribbean Community in Kingston, Jamaica OAS and UN 1993-2003 – Represented Guyana at the Organization of American States (OAS) in Washington, DC, USA – Served as Chairman of the OAS Permanent Council in October-December 1994 and April-June 2003. Participated in all the OAS General Assemblies from 1994 to 2003 other specialized meetings of the OAS in various countries of the Americas. July to September 1993 – Served as Vice-Chairman of the Permanent Council of the OAS 1994 - Elected Chairman of the General Committee to prepare the OAS draft convention on the situation of persons with disabilities. September 1994-December 1994 – Served as Chairman of the Permanent Council of the OAS. 1996