About the Author

A native of Afghanistan, Saber Azam left Kabul at 22 to study in Switzerland at the prestigious “École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne,” where he earned a mechanical engineering degree and a Ph.D. in advanced nuclear technology.

Following the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, he mobilized support for the Afghan Resistance, refugees, and internally displaced persons while pursuing his academic work. He contributed significantly to sensitizing Western capitals to the deplorable plight of the Afghan people under the Red Army’s occupation and advocated a wide-ranging discussion of Afghanistan’s post-Soviet withdrawal scenarios. He also presided over the ”Comité Afghan d’Aide Humanitaire” in Geneva and promoted the involvement of Switzerland’s public and private sectors in rebuilding war-torn countries.

In 1994, Dr. Azam joined the United Nations (UN), dedicating his life to peace and security and to supporting victims of conflict. He served with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Côte d’Ivoire and Kenya before becoming the Deputy Special Envoy of this world body for Southeast Europe. In 2001, he moved to the UN Department for Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) and assumed senior roles in the Office of the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Kosovo. In 2006, he returned to UNHCR, serving as the organization’s representative in Côte d’Ivoire, Bangladesh, and Rwanda, as well as regional representative and coordinator for Central Asia. His assignments have given him in-depth knowledge of world affairs, particularly the West, East, and the Great Lakes region of Africa; Southwest, West, and Central Asia; the Balkans; and the Rohingya situation. He writes historical fiction based on his professional experience. To date, he has authored SORAYA: The Other Princess and Hell’s Mouth: A Journey to the Heart of West African Jungles.

Dr. Azam also writes political articles on issues of concern to him and on the urgent need to reform the UN system.