Meet Our Team
Barakat Rahmati
Executive Director
Barakat Rahmati served as the Chief of Staff to Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry, Deputy Ambassador in Doha, and Political Counselor in Washington, DC, and Islamabad. Barakat has been intimately involved with the Afghanistan Peace Process.
Barakat Rahmati is the Executive Director of Afghanistan House. Before joining the Afghanistan House, he served as the Chief of Staff in Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry. He led political sections of the Embassies of Afghanistan in Doha, Washington DC, and Islamabad. In Doha, he led the facilitation, monitoring, and analysis of the Afghan-Taliban peace process. He also served as a deputy director of the Institute of Diplomacy and deputy spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry. As a senior career diplomat, he was a member of the Afghanistan-US Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) negotiations and the Enduring Strategic Partnership Agreement between Afghanistan and the European Union. Barakat has extended experience with the Afghanistan peace process and is a consummate analyst, strategist, and leader with over a decade of experience engaging in the security and stability of Afghanistan and the region.
Barakat studied ‘International Security and Strategic Leadership at the U.K.’s Royal College of Defense Studies (RCDS), has an M.A. in ‘International Security and Strategy’ from King’s College London (KCL), and a B.A. in ‘Political Science and Public Administration from the American University of Afghanistan (AUAF). He is an alumnus of the Geneva Center for Security Policy (GCSP) and a Senior Peace and Security Research Fellow at the Afghanistan Institute for Strategic Studies (AISS).
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Nazeela Elmi
Policy Fellow – Human Rights
Nazeela Elmi served in the development and humanitarian fields with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and was engaged in social protection programs for Afghan women and refugees in Turkey. She also has crowd-funded financial resources for displaced Afghan families.
Nazeela Elmi is a Policy Fellow for Human Rights at Afghanistan House focusing on Human Rights. Nazeela previously served in the development and humanitarian fields with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Turkey. She was engaged in social protection programs for Afghan women and refugees in Turkey. She also has experience working with the Embassy of Afghanistan in Ankara and has crowd-funded financial resources for displaced Afghan families. She is pursuing her graduate studies in Human Rights at Columbia University.
She studied Political Science and International Relations at TED University in Turkey and is an alumnus of Leipzig University in Germany. She has co-translated several selected poems by women Central Asian poets for the first time to make them accessible to international readers. She is a published author with articles in English, German and Turkish.
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Ahmad H. Najmpoor
Lead Political Analyst
Ahmad H. Najmpoor served as the Director General of the Institute of Diplomacy and senior political advisor to Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry. He served as Counselor Minister and Charge d’Affairs of the Embassy of Afghanistan in Tehran and led political sections of the Embassies of Afghanistan in Islamabad and Beijing.
Ahmad H. Najmpoor is the Lead Political Analyst at Afghanistan House. Before joining the Afghanistan House, he served as the Director General of the Institute of Diplomacy and senior political advisor to Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry. He served as Counselor Minister and Charge d’Affairs of the Embassy of Afghanistan in Tehran and led political sections of the Embassies of Afghanistan in Islamabad and Beijing. He also served as the Director of Information and Publication, Chief Editor of the Storai Magazine, and Deputy Director of the Middle East Political Department. In addition to his diplomatic career, Ahmad served as a consultant for the USAID-funded Afghanistan Rule of Law Project and as a judge in Afghanistan’s judiciary.
Ahmad has extended experience representing Afghanistan in regional diplomatic forums, including ECO and Shanghai regional initiatives, and has over a decade of experience engaging in multilateral foras.
Ahmad holds an M.A. in ‘International Relations’ from Afghanistan University and pursued Ph.D. studies in the field of ‘International Relations.’ He has a B.A. in ‘Law and Political Science from Kabul University. He is an alumnus of the Geneva Center for Security Policy (GCSP).
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Nazila Jamshidi
Lead – Community Engagement
Nazila Jamshidi is specialized in inclusive international development and democratization interventions. . She has extensive experience working on international development, foreign aid, and civil society.
Nazila Jamshidi is specialized in inclusive international development and democratization interventions. She possesses extensive experience advising, creating, and implementing programs that promote the rights and inclusion of marginalized people through international development, foreign aid, and civil society. Observing the barriers to human rights and social justice in 27 provinces of Afghanistan, Nazila realized that developing societies’ social justice systems and public policies need fundamental changes, which require a broader range of technical and academic knowledge and tools. Thus, she earned a bachelor’s degree in Government and Justice and Peace from Georgetown University and an M.A. in Human Rights in Foreign Policy/Diplomacy from Columbia University.
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M. Hanif Ahmadzai
Policy Fellow – Domestic Engagement
M. Hanif Ahmadzai served twice as the Deputy Ambassador at the Embassy of Afghanistan in London and as Acting Director General of the U.N. & International Conferences Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
M. Hanif Ahmadzai is the Policy Fellow for Domestic Engagement at Afghanistan House. He is a seasoned diplomat with over twenty years of experience in Foreign Affairs, Public Relations, and Strategic Communication. He served twice as the Deputy Ambassador at the Embassy of Afghanistan in London. Before this role, Hanif served as Acting Director General of the U.N. & International Conferences Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan. He was part of high-level delegates of Afghanistan to many important Regional and U.N.-led International Conferences on Afghanistan, including the U.N. General Assembly Meetings in NY. Hanif also served as Deputy Director of the U.N. department with the role and responsibilities of oversight and liaising with some of the U.N.-led Agencies in Afghanistan, such as UNHCR, IOM, UNFPA, UNICEF, UNDP, and WHO. He also led the Political Section of the Embassy and Mission of Afghanistan to the E.U. & NATO in Brussels.
Hanif has an M.A. from the University of East Anglia in the U.K. in International Diplomacy. He also has B.A. from Kabul University in Law and Political Science. Hanif is fluent in Dari, Pashto, and English and communicates in French and Urdu.
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Sayed E. Khaliq
Lead Human Rights Monitoring
Sayed E. Khaliq has over 16 years of leadership experience, including as a Commissioner at the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC). Sayed is an expert in policy-making, women’s empowerment, labor, and social affairs, aid coordination, and advocacy efforts.
Sayed E. Khaliq is the Lead Human Rights Monitoring at Afghanistan House. He has more than 16 years of professional experience working in different capacities, including as a Commissioner at the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC), dealing with policy-making, programming, aid coordination, project management, and advocacy efforts. He is an expert in human rights, peacebuilding, women’s empowerment, and labor and social affairs.
He has previously served, among other positions, as the Chief of Staff at the Ministry of Labor and Socials Affairs (MoLSA) and Director of Grants Management Units and Legislation and Labor Rights at MoLSA. He has represented Afghanistan in many regional and international conferences.
Ehsan holds an M.A. in International Law from Kateb University and a B.A. in Law from Kabul University. He has served as a lecturer at various institutes of higher education in Kabul, teaching international law and human rights-related subjects.
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A. Rashad Sabawoon
Treasurer & I.T. Support Specialist
A. Rashad Sabawoon served as an I.T. Support Specialist. Rashad previously served as the Head of the I.T. Team for the digitalization of Passport and Visa Systems at the Afghanistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs.A. Rashad Sabawoon is the Treasurer & I.T. Support Specialist at Afghanistan House. He has experience working as a Sales and Admin Officer at Aahu Barah USA, INC. He previously served as the Head of the I.T. Team for the digitalization of Passport and Visa Systems at the Afghanistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Rashad holds a Master of Arts in Peace and Conflict Studies from the University of Ankara in Turkey and has B.A. in Arts and Literature from Kabul University of Afghanistan. Rashad also has technical skills in I.T., Networking, and Operating Systems.
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Maihan Saeedi
Director for Regional Engagement
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Obaidullah Attaey
Policy Fellow – Gulf Region
Obaidullah Attaey served as the Deputy Ambassador of Afghanistan in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as Political Officer of the Afghan Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq, and as Political Advisor at the Embassy of Afghanistan in Cairo, Egypt.Obaidullah Attaey is the Director of Media Relations at Afghanistan House. He previously served as the Deputy Ambassador of Afghanistan in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Political Officer of the Afghan Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq, and as a Political Advisor at the Embassy of Afghanistan in Cairo, Egypt. He holds an M.A. in Journalism from the Institute of Arab Research Studies in Cairo and a B.A. in Journalism from Al Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt. He also holds an Advance Diplomacy & Protocol Certificate from Max Planck Foundation for International Peace and the Rule Law, Germany.
Obaidullah is a published Author and authored a book titled “Afghanistan Towards Democracy.” He is fluent in Dari, Pashto, Arabic, and English.
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Maryam Jami
Policy Fellow – Diaspora Engagement
Maryam Jami is a writer, a civil activist, and an Assistant Professor in Literature and Humanities—specializing in Gender studies and Comparative Literature. She is a Ph.D. candidate in Civilizations of Asia and Africa at the Sapienza University of Rome. Maryam Jami is the Policy Fellow for Diaspora Engagement at Afghanistan House. She is a writer, a civil activist, and an Assistant Professor in Literature and Humanities—specializing in Gender studies and Comparative Literature. Maryam Jami is also an ILD alumna from the Institute for Leadership Development.
Mrs. Jami is doing her Doctorate studies in Asian Women Diaspora and Green Economy in Sapienza, Rome, Italy. In Afghanistan, Jami worked with the American University of Afghanistan. Maryam Jami was a community leader in Afghan society, working as a women’s rights activist, a Legal Clinic Instructor, and a Lecturer at Kahkashan-e-Sharq University. Maryam Jami has been working hard to further specialize in Literature and is now working in Diasporic studies. She has written scholarly articles on such themes as women and politics. Maryam Jami will complete her Ph.D. studies in 2025 and will continue researching and keep up the work toward her major.
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Advisory Board
Ambassador Enayat Nabiel
Ambassador Enayat Nabiel served as Afghanistan’s Ambassador to the Netherlands, as senior advisor to the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Finance of Afghanistan, and as a U.N. official in Iraq, Afghanistan, Liberia, and New York.
Ambassador Nabiel served as Ambassador of Afghanistan to the Netherlands, senior advisor to Foreign Affairs and Finance Ministers, and a U.N. international civil servant in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Liberia. He has expertise in regional cooperation, Transboundary waters, crisis management, and the art of negotiations. Amb. Nabiel has first-hand information and participated in several sessions of the Geneva Accord, a peace agreement between Afghanistan and Pakistan, co-signed by the U.S. and Russia. He also negotiated the most significant infrastructure projects such as TAPI, CASA 1000, TAP, Uzbekistan to Mazar and Khawaf to Herat Railways, and many other projects, as well as dozens of MoUs with neighboring countries of Afghanistan on trade and economic cooperation.
