| Michał R. Łabenda | |
| Honorific-Suffix: | Ph.D. |
| Order: | 3rd |
| Ambassador From: | Poland |
| Country: | Azerbaijan |
| Term Start: | 2010 |
| Term End: | 2014 |
| Predecessor: | Krzysztof Krajewski |
| Successor: | Marek Całka |
| Ambassador From2: | Poland |
| Country2: | Mongolia |
| Term Start2: | 7 July 2015 |
| Term End2: | 2018 |
| Predecessor2: | Zbigniew Kulak |
| Successor2: | Krzysztof Bojko |
| Ambassador From3: | Poland |
| Country3: | Egypt |
| Term Start3: | October 2018 |
| Term End3: | 18 August 2023 |
| Predecessor3: | Michał Murkociński |
| Birth Date: | 10 September 1974 |
| Birth Place: | Wrocław, Poland |
| Nationality: | Polish |
| Alma Mater: | Al-Farabi Kazakh National University |
| Profession: | Diplomat, orientalist, university teacher |
Michał Rafał Łabenda (born 10 September 1974, in Wrocław) is a Polish diplomat, serving as Polish ambassador to Egypt (2018–2023), Mongolia (2015–2018), Azerbaijan (2010–2014).
He holds an M.A. in Arab studies (Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, 1999).[1] In 2006, Łabenda defended at the University of Warsaw, Institute of Oriental Studies his Ph.D. thesis on Muslim movements in the Fergana Valley. His doctoral supervisor was Anna Parzymies.[2]
Łabenda worked at the KARTA Center between 1998 and 1999. In 1999, he started his career at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. From 2000 to 2001 he was an intern in Osaka. He has been Second Secretary at the Polish Embassy in Tashkent, Uzbekistan (2002–2005), deputy director of Eastern Department (2007–2010), ambassador of Poland to Azerbaijan (2010–2014), visiting ambassador of Poland to Mongolia (2015–2018) and, since October 2018, ambassador of Poland to Egypt, with accreditation to Sudan and Eritrea.[3] He ended his term on 18 August 2023.[4] He has been also lecturing at the University of Warsaw.[5]
Łabenda is married and has a son Jan. He speaks English, German, Russian, Kazakh, Arabic, Uzbek, Azerbaijani and French.