Ahmad Zaki Sarferaz

Mayor, Kabul, Afghanistan / MUP '14

An aerial view of Kabul showing dense city streets with the Hindu Kush mountain range in the background.

A view of Kabul. Photo by Masoud Akbari, CC BY-SA 3.0

"The Present and Future of Kabul: An Urban Planner's Experience as Mayor"

Wednesday, October 9, 2019
6 pm - 7:30 pm
Hayes 403

Ahmad Zaki Sarferaz, mayor of Kabul, Afghanistan, joins us as the 2019 Ibrahim and Viviane Jammal Visiting Fellow in International Planning. He will discuss the role of urban planning as the capital city of Afghanistan navigates rapid urbanization and rising citizen demands for services amidst ongoing conflict. A 2014 graduate of UB's Master of Urban Planning program, Honorable Zaki will also reflect on the influence of his time in Buffalo.

Biography

Mayor Ahmad Zaki Sarferaz

Ahmad Zaki Sarferaz is mayor of Kabul City, Afghanistan. He earned his bachelor degree in Architecture Engineering from Kabul University and was appointed as an assistant/associate professor. He earned his Master of Urban Planning from the University at Buffalo in 2014 through a Fulbright scholarship. From 2015 to 2019, Ahmad Zaki worked as technical and urban planning advisor at the Ministry of Urban Development Affairs (MUDH) and as Senior Adviser to the President on Urban Development Affairs for the Government of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (GIRoA). He has more than 10 years of experience with national and international organizations.