Zekria Barakzai is a former top Afghan diplomat (Consul General of Afghanistan in Istanbul, Turkey) and has more than 30 years of experience working with the private sector, international organizations, NGOs, and the government of Afghanistan. He received his MA in International Relations from Moscow State University for International Relations (MGIMO). Currently, he is a PhD researcher in international affairs at Altinbas University Istanbul, Turkey. He is an experienced professional in the fields of diplomacy, international affairs, elections, human rights, and good governance. His current research focus is on Afghan and Central Asian transboundary water issues and water diplomacy. Besides English, he is fluent in Dari, Pashto, Russian, Arabic, Urdu, and Turkish languages.​

Image: Waheedullah Jahesh / Shutterstock.com.