Yar Taraky

Background

Yar M. Taraky

Yar M. Taraky is a well-known Afghan intellectual and is active in the political, cultural and education sectors. He was born in Ghazni province of Afghanistan Yar M. Taraky has been in the intellectual scene of Afghanistan for the past 30 years. His contribution to the reconstruction strategies through his recommendations to the Afghan Government, Canadian and USA Governments are indication of his bright vision for the future of Afghanistan and the whole region. In 2006 along with a group of dedicated Afghan and Pakistani Canadian intellectuals Yar Taraky established a policy and research think- tank group called – Pashtun Research Policy and Advocacy Centre (PRAP Center), where he advocated against extremism and proxy policies in Afghanistan. Between 2006 and 2009 Yar Taraky has authored several articles and recommendations to the Afghan and Canadian governments (including the Liberal and Conservative Governments) that outlined policy and strategic road maps on Afghanistan reconstruction and regional cooperation. Since the fall of Taliban Yar Taraky visited Afghanistan numerous times. He was invited as a consultant by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), UK DFID and the Government of Afghanistan in leading the policy and planning processes and supporting the young professionals with training and coaching. Yar Taraky holds a master's degree in engineering and engineering economics and a master's degree in the arts. He is currently conducting his doctoral research in post conflict infrastructure and international development at the University of Guelph. His 6 years of service in Afghanistan and the policy and management failures in that country is the focus of Yar's research. Prior to that Yar has worked for a Canadian based consulting firm for over 10 years and has participated in over 30 small and large infrastructure projects. Yar Taraky has worked as one of the Directors of the Afghanistan Investment Climate Facility (AICF) Harakat (funded by DFID), responsible for regulatory reform and the post war trade facilitation in Afghanistan. He was heavily involved in the Afghanistan private sector related reforms such as Land lease Reform, Licensing Reform, Construction Permit Reform and a number of initiatives dedicated to the private sector growth in Afghanistan. Yar Taraky has also contributed to the Afghanistan WTO and ISO accession related efforts. Yar Taraky however was against premature entry of Afghanistan into the WTO. While believing in the positive role of private sector in the country’s economic growth, Yar Taraky is at the moment the supporter of the Keynesian Theory of economic development where a bigger role for the government is envisaged. Yar Taraky enjoys his other profession of visual arts. He has been actively involved in the art forms creation in Afghanistan and abroad and is the author of major positive art pieces. His cultural involvement includes mentoring art professionals, contribution into the art and culture by leading workshops, training sessions, intellectual and art related discussions and a number of projects in the area of entrepreneurship and establishment of enterprises for art related industries in Afghanistan and abroad. Yar Taraky has been interviewed by BBC, CBC and Voice of America and a number of Afghan media regarding Afghanistan’s current political and economic situation. He is one of the most perceptible immigrant cultural professionals in Canada.

Education

• 2014: Doctoral Reseaarch at the University of Guelph, Canada • 2008: Institute of Globalization and Human Condition - McMaster University • 2004: Bay Area Leadership (Management and networking) • 2000: Mohawk College (applied computer sciences) • 1994: Academy of Arts and Art History (Uzbekistan) • 1990: Institute of Social Sciences - Kabul Afghanistan • 1988: Polytechnique Institute of Tajikistan - Faculty of Engineering and Engineering Economics