Afghan Biographies

Barakzai, Zekria


Name Barakzai, Zekria
Ethnic backgr. Pashtun
Date of birth 1968
Function/Grade Chief Technical Advisor at Democracy International
History and Biodata

2. Previous Functions:
IEC Deputy Chief Electoral Officer (2010-20121203)
Chief Technical Advisor at Democracy International and Chairman Afghanistan Democracy Watch (20150901)

3. Biodata:
barakzai_zakariaZakaria Barakzai was born in 1968. He has been graduated from Al Birooni High School in Kandahar. He has received his Masters Degree in international relations from Moscow State Institute of International Relations(MGIMO). Prior to joining the Independent Election Commission of Afghanistan (IEC) he worked as Managing Director of “AfBel Joint Venture”, Minsk, Republic of Belarus, Managing Director of “S and Z Trading Co. LLC”, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Legal Advisor to the Minister of Public Works of Afghanistan, served in the Consulate Directorate of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Head of the Legal Department (counterpart) of the Joint Electoral Management Body (JEMB) during 2005 election in Afghanistan. He is author of number of publications on Afghanistan foreign policy and international trade relations. He observed many overseas elections and was the head of IEC observation missions to General Elections in Australia 2007. In 2008 he participated in the International Visitor Leadership Program in the United States. He is the founder and elected chairman of the Association of Electoral Officials of Afghanistan (AEOA).

Deputy Head of the IEC’s Secretariat Zekria Barakzai, who was also the acting head of the secretariat, resigned from his post after President Karzai appointed Zai-ul-Haq Amarkhil as the new head of the secretariat.(20121203)
He is working now with Democracy International as Chief Technical Advisor and as Chairman of Afghanistan Democracy Watch.(20150901)

Barakzai speaks Pashto, Dari, English, Arabic, Urdu and Russian.

Last Modified 2015-09-01
Established 2010-10-10