Suleman
Kakar
Suleman Kakar is a development worker and researcher and a
pioneer of peacebuilding in Afghanistan with more than two
decades of experience in development and civil society. He
was a founding member of Cooperation for Peace and Unity
CPAU, an NGO and research institute in Afghanistan and
before it he worked in key positions with several national,
international and government offices. Suleman has done his
Master of Arts (MA) in Development Studies at Development
Studies Centre, Holy Ghost College, Kimmage Manor, Dublin,
Ireland. Suleman has conducted evaluation of several
national and international NGOs and UN agencies and a number
of researches including (Political Economy and Livelihood
Strategies) 2001, Interagency Evaluation of UN Humanitarian
Response 2001, Research (Strategies and Structures in
Conflict Prevention) 2003, Advocacy Practices: Afghanistan
2001 Onwards (September - November 2005). He was also
Senior Advisor at the President’s office for reorganization
and presently serves as Senior Advisor to the Minister of
Education and Chairman of the BoD of CPAU. Download CV
Kanishka Nawabi
Kanishka Nawabi is an aid worker and researcher, with 10
years’ experience in Afghanistan aid delivery process, civil
society, peacebuilding and conflict resolution processes. He
is also Managing Director of Cooperation for Peace and
Unity, an NGO and research institute in Afghanistan.
Kanishka joined aid community in 1996, and worked an Afghan
NGO in different capacities. In 2002 he joined the Salvation
Army in London UK and worked for a project managing the
volunteers for the Salvation Army in London. In 2004 he got
his MA from Westminster University in International Law. In
2005 he joined CPAU in the current post of MD. He was the
co-chair of Human Rights Research and Advocacy Consortium in
2005 and also a Steering Committee member of Agency
Coordination Body for Afghan Relief (ACBAR). In 2006 he was
elected Civil Society Afghan National Development Strategy (CSANDS)
Advisory Board Member. Kanishka carried out or was part of a
number of researches including Afghan NGOs Communication
Systems (December 2004- February 2005), Advocacy
Practices: Afghanistan 2001 Onwards (September -
November 2005), Armed Groups and Peace Processes
(June - August 2005), Religious Civil Society (June –
November 2006), Transformation of War Economies (August –
October 2006). He is currently in the process of
establishing CPAU representative office in London
in order to allow for the better, more
targeted delivery of CPAU’s research output, and increase
the potential for achieving policy change accordingly.
Meanwhile, he is working towards another degree on
international relations and diplomacy from SOAS, University
of London Download CV
Mirwais Wardak
Mirwais Wardak is a development worker and researcher with
almost 10 years of experience working with aid community in
Afghanistan. He has worked on projects related to
Peacebuilding, conflict resolution and civil society
development with a number of Afghan NGOs. He is currently
working as Program Director with Co-operation for Peace and
Unity (CPAU), a leading Afghan NGO and research institute.
He joined aid community in 1998 and have worked in different
capacities. In 2001 he joined CPAU and has worked on a
number of assignments. He has worked intensively on
establishing and supporting community structures and local
Jirgas to promote reconciliation and conflict resolution at
community level. He has closely worked on Afghan
constitution civic education in 2004 and has facilitated a
number of civil society conferences including the national
conference on civil society feedback on the 2004 draft
constitution. Mirwais is the founding member of Free and
Fair Election for Afghanistan (FEFA) and Human Right
Research and Advocacy Consortium (HRRAC). In 2005 he got his
MA from Post- War Recovery Unit, The University of York.
). He was part of the leading team from the PRDU, The
University of York who did the mid term evaluation of the
National Solidarity Program (NSP) in Afghanistan.He carried
out or was part of a number of researches including
Religious Civil Society (June – November 2006),
Transformation of War Economies (August – October 2006) and
NGOs, PRTs, Government and Communities in Afghanistan (2007 Download CV
Christian Dennys
Christian Dennys recently joined CPAU
as its Representative in Europe. Before joining CPAU
Christian worked as a policy adviser and researcher with
several organizations including Oxfam and Amnesty
International. Christian has been carrying out research and
policy work in Afghanistan for the last 5 years with a
particular focus on security sector reform. He is also
fluent in Dari. The CPAU team welcomes him onboard and
wishes him every success
Sultan Maqsood Fazel
Sultan Maqsood Fazel was born in Kabul, Afghanistan. Fazel
currently works as a Policy and Advocacy Consultant in
Cooperation for Peace and Unity based in London. He is an
expert in business
management, organizational development,
advocacy and communication. He played a strong role in
building capacities of Afghan aid agencies to understand
Afghanistan’s national plans and strategies and lobbying and
advocating the Government of Afghanistan to include civil
society perspectives in the development of both policy and
the setting of development priorities. Fazel is a strong
personality and a team player. He is popular for his ability
to work and live in challenging conditions and to
effectively lead and supervise staff. He likes to take
challenges and work under pressure.
Download CV
Idrees Zaman Idrees Zaman is an Afghan
researcher. He is currently working as Advocacy and Research
Manager of an Afghan NGO and a leading research institute
Cooperation for Peace and Unity CPAU. With a BA in political
science and MBA in financial management, he started his
career with an internship at an Afghan NGO in 1994. After
working there for a decade in different executive positions,
in 2005 he started freelance consultancies in Afghanistan,
during which time he worked in some major research projects
including mid-term evaluation of Afghanistan’s National
Solidarity Program NSP, conducted by PRDU unit of York
University. In 2006 he joined CPAU at his current position.
Having attended numerous trainings sessions in different
disciplines, and with a vast study of the history and
political dynamics of Afghanistan and the region, he has
been part of some major research activities such as:
Mid-term Evaluation of National Solidarity
Program NSP (2005-6), Religious Civil Society (June –
November 2006), Transformation of War Economies (August –
October 2006), NGOs, PRTs, Government and Communities in
Afghanistan (2007), Analysis of Asia Foundation survey
“Afghanistan in 2007” (2007-8). Download CV
