Afghan Biographies

Zarif, Farid


Name Zarif, Farid
Ethnic backgr. Pashtun
Date of birth 1949
Function/Grade Acting Special Representative of the Secretary-General
History and Biodata

2. Previous Functions:
UN Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator in Baghdad in the nineties,
Chief of Staff of the UN Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI)
Acting DSRSG of the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS)
Director of Europe and Latin America Division of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations at UN Headquarters (20100800)
Acting Special Representative of the Secretary-General Kosovo UNMIK  (20110802)

3. Biodata:
zarif_faridFarid Zarif was born 1949 in Afghanistan.  Zarif studied Law, Diplomacy and International Relations at the Faculty of Law and Political Science of Kabul University, the Afghan Institute of Diplomacy and Oxford University. He has been a career diplomat and Deputy Foreign Minister.

Farid Zarif arrived in Kosovo on 20110802 to take up the leadership of UNMIK in his new role as the Acting Special Representative of the Secretary-General.

He is married to Alia Zarif. They have two sons.

Farid Zarif speaks English and Dari.

Detailed Career of Farid Zarif:
Director of Europe and Latin America Division of DPKO since August of 2010, he served as the Chief of Staff and Acting DSRSG with UNMIS in Sudan, and prior to that, as the Chief of Staff of UNAMI in Iraq since January 2004. Following 3 years of service as the UN Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator in Iraq since January 1997, he was appointed as Chief and, later, Director in the Office of Iraq Programme at the UN headquarters in New York. He was Chief Elections Officer with UNMIL in Liberia from 1994-96, and served in as Referendum/Elections Coordinator with the UN missions in Eritrea and South Africa in 1993 and 1995, respectively.

In 1991-92, he was the Secretary-General of the Economic Advisory Council, Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Afghanistan. Serving his national governments, he was the Principle Foreign Policy Advisor to the President of Afghanistan from 1989-1991, and Deputy Foreign Minister from 1987-1989. Prior to that, Zarif was Ambassador, Permanent Representative of his country to the United Nations in New York from 1980.  He joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan in 1974 and served in various departments in increasingly responsible positions, as well as Charge d’Affaires in Havana.

Last Modified 2011-08-08
Established 2011-08-08