Career

Expertise & Experience

State Governance

• Fundamentally reorganized the Office of the President of Afghanistan and managed relevant domestic and international policy issues, including security, military, and development matters.

  • Managed and strengthened Afghan government institutional capacity in the protection of human rights; support for gender equality and women empowerment; coordination and facilitation of humanitarian assistance.

  • Directed nascent government institutions to prioritize rule of law, transitional justice, budget execution and the fight against corruption, while building institutional resilience to frequent terrorist attacks and warlords’ destructions by strengthening government capacity to proactively plan and swiftly respond.

• Jointly developed and directed policies with the UN and our international partners to create viable synergies between the emergency response and long-term sustainable development and peace building objectives and thereby reconciling the humanitarian-development nexus to provide effective immediate relief and maintain sustainable long-term development goals, concurrently.

  • Effectively partnered with the UN agencies and the donor community on bilateral and multilateral frameworks to reduce poverty in Afghanistan through multisectoral, integrated programs for the provision of employment and incomes, addressing structural barriers to women’s employment and economic empowerment, as well as providing social protection to ethnic minorities and building adequate infrastructure to address gender inequalities and social exclusions.

  • Supervised and implemented national policies to build institutional resilience, accountability, and legitimacy to perform state functions, including the provision of security services, fighting narcotics, resolution of conflicts, dealing with the warlords and malign actors, reduction of violence, and delivery of essential public goods and services.

• Coordinated and supervised national policies to recruit locally and deploy ethical, experienced staff at national and provincial levels, while giving paramount consideration to the highest standards of ethics, efficiency, competence, integrity, and gender equality to fill the gaps in critical governance and humanitarian service delivery programs; and to procure material rapidly, cost-effectively, and locally when appropriate.

• Planned and implemented state policies that reinforced (not replaced) Afghan national and local administrations, while mitigating frictions and crises by cooperating closely with our international partners toward collective outcomes based on leveraging comparative advantage.

Corporate Governance

• As founder and chairman of Capitalize, led a dynamic team of international business experts, advising foreign governments and international corporations and investors on politics, defense, security, market entry, commercial opportunities, and development strategies in the Central Asia and Gulf regions, including Afghanistan.

• Worked with the international partners and private sector to solve the challenges of increasing attacks and acts of violence against humanitarian personnel, facilities, assets, and supplies routes to alleviate the negative implications of such attacks for the provision of humanitarian assistance and government services to the populations in insecure areas of Afghanistan. 

• Deployed public and private resources to break the cycle of conflict, fragility, and poverty that persisted in the fragile and conflict-affected areas of Afghanistan to address the needs of victims of war and excluded groups due to weak and corrupt institutions, inadequacy of government infrastructure and capabilities, environmental, social and tribal issues, and undiversified/inexperienced private sectors by building functioning local markets and trading relationships that are inclusive, sustainable, honest and responsive.   

• Established legal and financial institutions to provide targeted grants by the governments and our partners in the donor community to further develop the financial market, especially microfinance as a safety net mechanism to integrate the objectives of economic development with reconciliation, peace, community building and establishment of a civil society.

Conflict Transformation

• Extensive peacemaking and peacebuilding experience by conducting and leading talks with insurgents, warlords, malign actors, and stability stakeholders to reduce violence and deconstruct unjust and unlawful power structures.

• Led consultations and exchanges with the senior leadership of governments, stakeholders and experts at national, regional, and international levels, UN agencies, UNAMA, the UN Special Representative for Afghanistan, human rights institutions, the private sector, and NGOs to improve harmonization of the state building in Afghanistan.

• Provided capacity support and strategic advisory to the Afghan government during the Doha Negotiations on choice of venue, roadmap, dialogue facilitators, and mediation, as well as best practices for conflict transformation and transitional justice.

• Advocated for human rights, women’s empowerment, social justice, and equitable conflict resolution, and held a solid track record for social justice, gender equality, access to quality education, democracy, and pluralism.

• Established the Foundation for Afghanistan, dedicated to providing high quality education for Afghan girls from conflict prone areas of Afghanistan.

Diplomacy

• Re-established the Embassy of Afghanistan in Washington, DC and developed that mission into the highest profiled Afghan embassy, and reestablished diplomatic relations with Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, and Mexico.

• Managed the convening of the historic “Camp David” talks between President Bush and President Karzai in 2005 and coordinated state visits and foreign trips for Afghan leaders to economic summits in Berlin, Tokyo, Paris, Rome, and London, as well as NATO Security Conferences in Brussels and Warsaw, and G8 in Istanbul.

• As ambassador in key capitals of Washington, London and Moscow, run all aspects of diplomacy, development and defense through close interaction with the White House, White Hall and the Kremlin, as well as UK, US and Russian government agencies, the State Department, Pentagon, US Congress, UK Parliament and Russian Duma.

• Actively deliberated with UK, US and European partners to prepare for the consequences of US unconditional and unilateral withdrawal and the rapidly declining aid and multilateral support to Afghanistan and plan for the implications of sudden collapse of governance, rule of law, women rights, minorities protection, and the subsequent influx of refugees to Europe.

• Developed and helped implement policies, as security crises assumed more complexity in Afghanistan, by mounting flexible, rapid, and reliable tools to facilitate real-time and evidence-based coordinated policy decisions for regional crisis response in face of Taliban advances.

• Received many diplomatic distinctions, including the Diplomat of the Year Award by the Diplomat Magazine London for responsiveness, engagement, and ingenuity

Public Engagements

• Represented Afghanistan in over fifty key international economic and security conferences in North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia, and coordinated and accompanied the leaders of Afghanistan to international summits.

• Lectured at Ivy League academic institutions and universities, including Harvard, Oxford, Cambridge, Bath, Johns Hopkins, Princeton, Stanford, Imperial College London, Durham, Edinburgh, Moscow State University, UC Berkeley, Kansas State, Georgetown, George Washington, Tufts, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, University of Texas, as well as the National Defense Intelligence College and National Defense University.

• Featured in interviews with prominent media outlets, including NBC’s “Meet the Press,” CNN’s “The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer,” BBC World News, Bloomberg’s “Night Talk with Mike Schneider”, and Al Jazeera.

• Frequent speaker at international think tanks, including the Chatham House, Council on Foreign Relations of Brazil, and Center of Implementation of Public Policy of Argentina, the RAND Corporation, the Brookings Institute, the U.S. Institute of Peace, Atlantic Council, Center for Strategic and International Studies, Council on Foreign Relations, Center for American Progress, American Bar Association, American Enterprise Institute, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, the Asia Society, Observer Research Foundation of India, Emirate Center for Strategic Studies, and Fredrich Ebert Foundation of Germany.

• Published hundreds of articles and commentaries in the United States, Europe, and Afghanistan, and op-eds that have appeared in The New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Time, The International Herald Tribune, Der Spiegel, Le Monde, The Guardian, Foreign Affairs and Foreign Policy, and authored “The realities of War and Rebuilding in Afghanistan” published in 2005, “Be the Provider of Relief, Not an Inquisitor of Belief,” published in 2016, and “The Last Flamenco in Samangan” published in 3 languages in 2020.

Education

Golden Gate University, School of Business
San Francisco, CA
Executive MBA, December 2001 

W. Wilhelms University, School of Law
Muenster, Germany
Extensive studies in International, Civil and Criminal Laws, 1981 to 1984

Kabul University, School of Law and Political Science
Kabul, Afghanistan
LLB, 1980

Awards & Honors

Constitutional Loya Jirga Service Medal
President of Afghanistan
Kabul, 2003

Honorary Doctorate Degree in Organization Leadership
Argosy University
Washington, DC, 2007

Award of Merit for Rebuilding a Nation
The American Society for Engineering Education
Washington, DC, 2007

Academician (Honorary)
Russian Municipal Academy
Moscow, 2021

Languages

English, German, French, Dari

Conferences

1. International Coordination and Response Group for the Families of the Victims of Flight PS752″, London, 16 January 2020

2. India Pakistan Afghanistan Dialogue, Bangkok, 21-23 July 2019

3. Defend Media Freedom Conference, London, UK, 10-11 July 2019

4. IISS-NESA South Asia Security Conference, Bahrain, 27-28 April 2019

5. India Pakistan Afghanistan + Iiss, Bangkok, 17-18 April 2019

6. Indian Pakistan Afghanistan Dialogue, Thailand, 24-28 January 2019

7. 12th High Level Iiss-Nesa Southern Asia Security Conference, Muscat, 12-14 October 2018

8. India Pakistan Afghanistan Dialogue, Bangkok, 23-25 July 2018

9. The Fourth High-Level Iiss-Nesa South Asia Security Workshop – Building regional Security & Countering Terrorism, Manama, 5-6 May 2018

10. Stabilisation And Building Stability In The Long Term: An Exchange Of Views Between Pakistan And The UK Conference, Wilton Park, March 12-14, 2018

11. The Fourth High- Level IISS-NESA South Asia Security Conference (Building Regional Security and Countering Terrorism), Manama, May 5-6, 2018

12. The India- Pakistan- Afghanistan Security Dialogue, Bangkok, February 8-10, 2018

13. The India- Pakistan- Afghanistan Security Dialogue, Bangkok, February 1-2, 2017

14. Halifax International Security Forum, Halifax, November 18 – 21, 2016

15. The India-Pakistan-Afghanistan Security Dialogue, Bangkok, September 21 – 23, 2016

16. Warsaw NATO Summit, Warsaw, July 9 -10, 2016

17. World Humanitarian Summit, Istanbul, May 23-24, 2016 

18. Official Visit To India With Chief Executive Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, March 28-30, 2016 

19. India Today Conclave, New Delhi, March 17-18, 2016 

20. The India-Pakistan-Afghanistan Security Dialogue, Istanbul, March 3-6, 2016

21. Counter Terrorism Conference, Tackling Global Terror Outfits, Jaipur, February 2-3, 2016 

22. International Development Law Organization’s Assembly Of Parties, Rome, November 24-27, 2015  

23. Concordia Summit, New York, October 1-2, 2015 

24. World Economic Forum On The Middle East & North Africa, Amman, May 21-23, 2015 

25. US-Afghanistan Dialogue At Camp David, Catoctin Mountain park, March 23, 2015

26. State Visit To Azerbaijan With President Ghani And Chief Executive Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, Baku, February 28, 2015

27. Halifax International Security Forum, Halifax, November 20-22, 2015

28. London Conference On Afghanistan, London, December 3-4, 2014

29. NATO Summit, Brussels, December 2, 2014

30. State Visit To Germany, Berlin, December 1, 2014

31. Halifax International Security Forum, Halifax, November 21–22, 2014 

32. Halifax International Security Forum, Halifax, November 22-23, 2013

33. Halifax International Security Forum, Halifax, November 16-18, 2012 

34. Halifax International Security Forum, Halifax, November 18-20, 2011

35. Euromines: Mining Investors Forum, Investment Opportunities And The Economic Future Of Afghanistan, Brussels, October 26, 2011 

36. The Buxton Initiative Forum, Islam: Myths & Realities, Winston-Salem, October 24, 2011 

37. The Halifax International Security Forum, Halifax, November 5-7, 2010 

38. International Monetary Fund And World Bank Group Annual Meetings, Washington DC, September 24-25, 2009 

39. Leading Thinkers Forum. The Foundation For The Defense Of Democracies, Freeport, June 11-12, 2009 

40. Emerald Express, National Defense University, Quantico Base, USA, April 8, 2009 

41. New Strategy For Afghanistan, Hague Centre For Strategic Studies, The Hague, March 30, 2009 

42. A Comprehensive Strategy In A Regional Context, The Government Of The Netherlands, The Hague, March 31, 2009 

43. Un General Assembly 63rd Session, United Nations, New York, September 27, 2008 

44. International Monetary Fund And World Bank Group Annual Meetings, Washington DC, September 24-25, 2008 

45. Security Council Debate On Afghanistan, United Nations, New York, July 9, 2008 

46. Atlantic Alliance at a New Crossroads, German Marshall Fund and the Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation, Istanbul, June 15-17, 2008 

47. US Islamic World Forum, Doha, February 16-18, 2008 

48. International Monetary Fund And World Bank Group Annual Meetings, Washington DC, September 24-25, 2007 

49. UN General Assembly 62nd Session, United Nations, New York, September 22, 2007 

50. International Monetary Fund And World Bank Group Annual Meetings, Washington DC, September 24-25, 2006 

51. UN General Assembly 61st Session, United Nations, New York, September 22, 2006 

52. XIV Non-Allied Movement Summit, Havana, September 15-16, 2006 

53. London Conference On Afghanistan, London, January 31- February 1, 2006 

54. International Monetary Fund And World Bank Group Annual Meetings, Washington DC, September 24-25, 2005 

55. UN General Assembly 60th Session, United Nations, New York, September 22, 2005 

56. International Monetary Fund And World Bank Group Annual Meetings, Washington DC, October 23, 2004

57. UN General Assembly 59th Session, United Nations, New York, September 22, 2004 

58. 17th Nato Summit, Istanbul, July 28-29, 2004 

59. World Economic Forum, Davos, January 21-25, 2004 

60. The Crans Montana Forum, Manama, December 3-5, 2003 

61. The Labour Party Annual Conference, Bournemouth, United Kingdom, September 28-October 2, 2003 

62. International Monetary Fund And World Bank Group Annual Meetings, Washington DC, October 23, 2003

63. UN General Assembly 58th Session, United Nations, New York, September 22, 2003 

64. Fighting Terrorism For Humanity, International Peace Academy, New York, September 22, 2003 

65. World Economic Forum, Amman,  June 21-23, 2003 

66. Rebuilding A Nation Conference, US Trade and Development Agency, Chicago, June 8-10, 2003

67. The Tokyo Conference On Consolidation Of Peace In Afghanistan,  Tokyo, February 22, 2003 

68. Xiii Non-Aligned Movement Summit, Kuala Lumpur, February 20-25, 2003 

69. Afghanistan Support Group Annual Meeting, Oslo, December 17-18, 2002 

70. Summit Of States Of Afghanistan, Pakistan And Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, October 26, 2002 

71. Seventh Eco Heads Of State Summit Meeting, Istanbul, October 14, 2002 

72. UN Friends Of Afghanistan Conference, United Nations, New York, September 15, 2002 

73. Constitutional Loya Jirga, Kabul, June 10-16, 2002 

74. Emergency Loya Jirga, Kabul, June 10, 2002

75. Unctad Legal Affairs Afghanistan Forum, Geneva, February 21, 2002

76. Stop Gender Apartheid In Afghanistan, Feminist Majority Foundation, March 29, 1999