Salamat Azimi
{{Short description|Afghan politician (born 1965)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Salamat Azimi
| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1965}}
| birth_place = Andkhoy, Faryab, Afghanistan
| alma_mater = {{ubl|Kabul University|Payame Noor University}}
| employer = Balkh University
| occupation = {{hlist|Law professor|politician}}
| module = {{Infobox officeholder |embed=yes
| office1 = Counter Narcotics Minister
| term_start1 = 21 April 2015
| term_end1 = 15 August 2021
| president1 = Ashraf Ghani }}
}}
Salamat Azimi ({{Langx|prs|سلامت عظیمی}}; born 1965) is an Afghan politician who served as Counter Narcotics Minister.
Early life and education
Azimi was born in Andkhoy District of Faryab Province in 1965. She is an ethnic Uzbek. She attended Abu-Muslim Khurasani High School and received a BA in law and political science from Kabul University. She received a master's degree from Iran's Payame Noor University in 2014.{{cite web|url=http://www.elections.pajhwok.com/en/content/who-afghan-cabinet|title=Who is in Afghan Cabinet|publisher=Pajhwok Afghan News|year=2014|accessdate=8 January 2017}}
Career
Azimi was a professor in law and political science and head of the criminal law department at Balkh University. She was a member of the national peace consultative jirga of Balkh in 2011 and a member of the traditional Loya jirga from Balkh Province in 2012. From 2011 to 2015, she was in charge of protection of children's rights for northern Afghanistan, working at the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission in Mazar-i-Sharif. She also worked as a director for Aryana Legal Organization.
Azimi was appointed as Minister of Counter Narcotics by President Ashraf Ghani on 21 April 2015.{{cite web|url=https://www.afghanistan-analysts.org/finally-a-complete-afghan-cabinet-the-next-16-minister-nominees-and-their-biographies/|publisher=Afghanistan Analysts Network|title=Finally Towards a Complete Afghan Cabinet? The next 16 minister nominees and their bios (amended)|date=24 March 2015|accessdate= 8 January 2017}}{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-32391844|title=Afghan cabinet nearly complete after months of delay|publisher=BBC|date=21 April 2015|accessdate=8 January 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-afghan-parliament-approves-16-more-cabinet-2015apr18-story.html|title=Afghan parliament approves 16 more Cabinet nominees|work=The San Diego Union-Tribune|agency=Associated Press|date=18 April 2015|accessdate=8 January 2017}} She was viewed by the United States as a "Dostum" appointee.{{cite web|url=https://www.voanews.com/a/snubbed-by-us-afghan-warlord-looked-to-russia/3303670.html|title=Snubbed by US, Afghan Warlord Looked to Russia|first1=Fatima|last1=Tlisova|first2=Noor|last2=Zahid|work=VOA News|date=26 April 2016|access-date=8 January 2017}} The role has been described as the world's toughest job.{{cite news|url=https://money.cnn.com/2009/09/29/news/international/afghanistan_taliban_drugs.fortune/index.htm|title=Afghanistan's drug czar – world's toughest job | publisher=CNN | first=Phil|last=Zabriskie|date=30 September 2009}} In July 2015, Azimi said that 3.5 million people in Afghanistan were addicts,{{cite web|url=http://womenpress.af/english/2015/07/15/salamat-azimi-11-of-the-afghan-population-are-drug-addicts/|title=Salamat Azimi: 11% of the Afghan Population Are Drug Addicts|date=15 July 2015|accessdate=8 January 2017|publisher= Women Press}} and in 2016, opium cultivation increased by 10%.{{cite web|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/world/world-news/afghan-opium-cultivation-jumps-10-per-cent-in-2016-united-nations-3098347/|title=Afghan opium cultivation jumps 10 per cent in 2016: United Nations|work=The Indian Express|date=23 October 2016|accessdate=8 January 2017}}
In November 2016, the Wolesi Jirga dismissed seven cabinet members over four days during impeachment hearings. Azimi obtained a vote of confidence, with 71 votes.{{cite web|url=http://www.khaama.com/afghan-mps-dismiss-communications-and-it-minister-approve-3-other-ministers-02281|work=Khaama Press|title=Afghan MPs dismiss Communications and IT minister, approve 3 other ministers|date=15 November 2016|accessdate=8 January 2017}}
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has been working with the Afghan Ministry for Counter Narcotics. Together they organized a two-day conference on "Promoting Afghanistan's Alternative Development Initiatives among Regional and International Partners" in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. Professor Salamat Azimi, Afghanistan's Minister for Counter Narcotics, informed the conference about her government's policies to upkeep this goal. Other countries participating in the conference were Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Thailand and Colombia. The United States, Russia, Japan and the European Union also supported the conference.[http://www.hopehandson.com/blog/tag/professor-salamat-azimi/ Tag: Professor Salamat AzimiUNODC, Afghanistan partner to strengthen drug control and promote economic development in the country]
Personal life
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
- [http://mcn.gov.af/en Ministry Profile] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160529020827/http://mcn.gov.af/en/ |date=29 May 2016 }}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Azimi, Salamat}}
Category:Government ministers of Afghanistan
Category:Afghan human rights activists
Category:Kabul University alumni
Category:Women government ministers of Afghanistan
Category:21st-century Afghan women politicians