Omar Samad

Afghanistan Senior Expert

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Contact

Please submit all media inquiries to interviews@usip.org or call 202.429.3869.

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Multimedia

Political and Economic Transition Challenges in Afghanistan: Panel One

Issue Areas: Media, Conflict, and Peacebuilding, Political Reform, Rule of Law

Countries: Afghanistan

Ambassador Omar Samad is currently Afghanistan Senior Expert in Residence with the Center for Conflict Management at the U.S. Institute of Peace.

He is the former Afghan Ambassador to France (June 2009 to July 2011) and also served as Afghanistan's Ambassador to Canada (October 2004 to June 2009). Prior to these postings, he was the Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kabul (Dec. 2001 to Sept. 2004) and Director General of the Information and Media Division, during which time he also served as an advisor, speech-writer and member of the Ministry's reform committee. During his diplomatic career (2001 to 2011), he represented Afghanistan or participated in numerous multilateral conferences and specialized forums on Afghanistan, including the Tripartite Security Commission.

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s he was an advocate for freedom and democracy in Afghanistan. As founder of the Afghanistan Information Center, in 1996 he launched Azadi Afghan Radio and its website based in Virginia. Following the September 11th attacks, he worked as a commentator and analyst for CNN and other international media.

Omar Samad earned a Master's degree in International Relations (GMAP) from The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy (Tufts University, Massachusetts) in 2006. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications and International Affairs at the American University in Washington D.C. in 1991.

Publications & Tools

	Latest Afghan Peace Process Steps Fall Short of Serious Movement, Experts Say January 2013 \| News Brief by USIP Staff Recent developments on a process toward political reconciliation between the Afghan government and the Taliban fall far short of significant momentum toward a politically negotiated end to the conflict, experts said in a forum at the U.S. Institute of Peace. Countries: Afghanistan \| Issue Areas: Conflict Analysis and Prevention, Post-Conflict and Peacekeeping Activities
	What Kabul Elites, Washington Officials Are Looking for in Meeting of Presidents Karzai, Obama January 2013 \| Olive Branch Post by Viola Gienger Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s visit to Washington this week to confer with President Barack Obama is critical because decisions about future relations between the two countries are still “very much in flux,” said Andrew Wilder, USIP’s director of Afghanistan and Pakistan programs. Countries: Afghanistan \| Issue Areas: Conflict Analysis and Prevention, Negotiation and Diplomacy, Post-Conflict and Peacekeeping Activities
	USIP Talks Aid, Self-Reliance with Early-Career Afghan Diplomats in Joint U.S.-China Program December 2012 \| News Feature by USIP Staff Afghan diplomats preparing to help steer their country’s foreign policy heard messages of support along with encouragement toward self-reliance during a stop at the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP) on December 5. The session was aimed at briefing them on the array of USIP programs centered on their country as the United States turns over more responsibility to the government of Afghanistan. Countries: Afghanistan \| Issue Areas: Economics and Conflict, Training
	Complex Afghan Political Consultations December 2012 \| Olive Branch Post by Omar Samad Ambassador Omar Samad, currently Afghanistan Senior Expert in Residence with the Center for Conflict Management at USIP, discusses Hamid Karzai's unprecedented step last week when he hosted several factional leaders and representatives of most of Afghanistan’s loyal political opposition groupings at the presidential palace. Countries: Afghanistan \| Issue Areas: Political Reform
	Credible and Legitimate Elections Are a Must November 2012 \| Olive Branch Post by Omar Samad By announcing April 5, 2014, as the official date to hold the much-anticipated Afghan presidential elections, the Independent Election Commission (IEC) set in motion the critical process of political transfer of power from Hamid Karzai to the next elected president. Countries: Afghanistan \| Issue Areas: Political Reform
	Propping up Confidence-Building: Today’s "Heart of Asia" Kabul conference June 2012 \| Olive Branch Post by Omar Samad Ambassador Omar Samad, Afghanistan senior expert in residence with the Center for Conflict Management at the USIP, talks about the "Heart of Asia" ministerial conference hosted by the Afghan government in Kabul. Countries: Afghanistan \| Issue Areas: Conflict Analysis and Prevention, Post-Conflict and Peacekeeping Activities, Security Sector Reform/Governance
	"Two Critical Years Ahead" in Afghanistan May 2012 \| Olive Branch Post by Omar Samad The Chicago summit dealt with a host of international and organizational issues, but the Afghan mission certainly topped the agenda. Countries: Afghanistan \| Issue Areas: Media, Conflict, and Peacebuilding, Political Reform, Rule of Law
	USIP's Omar Samad on Taliban Cancelling Talks, Karzai's Request on Troops March 2012 \| Olive Branch Post by Omar Samad The Taliban announced today that it would cancel reconciliation talks and close its office in Qatar as a result of widespread anger over the killing of 16 Afghan civilians at the hands of an American service member. Countries: Afghanistan

	Latest Afghan Peace Process Steps Fall Short of Serious Movement, Experts Say January 2013 \| News Brief by USIP Staff Recent developments on a process toward political reconciliation between the Afghan government and the Taliban fall far short of significant momentum toward a politically negotiated end to the conflict, experts said in a forum at the U.S. Institute of Peace. Countries: Afghanistan \| Issue Areas: Conflict Analysis and Prevention, Post-Conflict and Peacekeeping Activities
	What Kabul Elites, Washington Officials Are Looking for in Meeting of Presidents Karzai, Obama January 2013 \| Olive Branch Post by Viola Gienger Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s visit to Washington this week to confer with President Barack Obama is critical because decisions about future relations between the two countries are still “very much in flux,” said Andrew Wilder, USIP’s director of Afghanistan and Pakistan programs. Countries: Afghanistan \| Issue Areas: Conflict Analysis and Prevention, Negotiation and Diplomacy, Post-Conflict and Peacekeeping Activities
	USIP Talks Aid, Self-Reliance with Early-Career Afghan Diplomats in Joint U.S.-China Program December 2012 \| News Feature by USIP Staff Afghan diplomats preparing to help steer their country’s foreign policy heard messages of support along with encouragement toward self-reliance during a stop at the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP) on December 5. The session was aimed at briefing them on the array of USIP programs centered on their country as the United States turns over more responsibility to the government of Afghanistan. Countries: Afghanistan \| Issue Areas: Economics and Conflict, Training
	Complex Afghan Political Consultations December 2012 \| Olive Branch Post by Omar Samad Ambassador Omar Samad, currently Afghanistan Senior Expert in Residence with the Center for Conflict Management at USIP, discusses Hamid Karzai's unprecedented step last week when he hosted several factional leaders and representatives of most of Afghanistan’s loyal political opposition groupings at the presidential palace. Countries: Afghanistan \| Issue Areas: Political Reform
	Credible and Legitimate Elections Are a Must November 2012 \| Olive Branch Post by Omar Samad By announcing April 5, 2014, as the official date to hold the much-anticipated Afghan presidential elections, the Independent Election Commission (IEC) set in motion the critical process of political transfer of power from Hamid Karzai to the next elected president. Countries: Afghanistan \| Issue Areas: Political Reform
	Propping up Confidence-Building: Today’s "Heart of Asia" Kabul conference June 2012 \| Olive Branch Post by Omar Samad Ambassador Omar Samad, Afghanistan senior expert in residence with the Center for Conflict Management at the USIP, talks about the "Heart of Asia" ministerial conference hosted by the Afghan government in Kabul. Countries: Afghanistan \| Issue Areas: Conflict Analysis and Prevention, Post-Conflict and Peacekeeping Activities, Security Sector Reform/Governance
	"Two Critical Years Ahead" in Afghanistan May 2012 \| Olive Branch Post by Omar Samad The Chicago summit dealt with a host of international and organizational issues, but the Afghan mission certainly topped the agenda. Countries: Afghanistan \| Issue Areas: Media, Conflict, and Peacebuilding, Political Reform, Rule of Law
	USIP's Omar Samad on Taliban Cancelling Talks, Karzai's Request on Troops March 2012 \| Olive Branch Post by Omar Samad The Taliban announced today that it would cancel reconciliation talks and close its office in Qatar as a result of widespread anger over the killing of 16 Afghan civilians at the hands of an American service member. Countries: Afghanistan