Afghan Biographies

Rahimi, Mohammad Asif


Name Rahimi, Mohammad Asif
Ethnic backgr. Tajik
Date of birth 1959
Function/Grade Ex Ambassador to Netherland
History and Biodata

1. Former Ambassadors to the Netherlands:
Enayatullah Nabiel, Nabil, Nabeel (20110210 -20150607)
Obaidullah Obaid (20150608)
Dr Mohammad Homayoon Azizi (20190410)
Asif Rahimi (20200112)
 

Embassy Staff:
Jamrad Jamshid previous Functions:
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Director of Western Europe Dept.
Mr. Jamrad Jamshid (Embassy to the Netherlands Chargé d'Affaires ad interim 29 July 2010)
Mr. M. Asif Nikbin (First Secretary) nikbin@afghanistanembassy.nl
Mr. Shafiullah Khawari (First Secretary) khawari@afghanistanembassy.nl
Mr. Fazulrahman Fazilyar (Second Secretary) fazilyar@afghanistanembassy.nl
Mr. Farhad Hedayat (Second Secretary) f.hedayat@afghanistanembassy.nl
Mr. Farid Ahmad Fazli (Third Secretary) fazli@afghanistanembassy.




2. Previous Functions Mohammad Asif Rahimi:
Manager CARE-USA Operations Afghanistan (198910-200102)
CARE-Canada Manager South Asia Area (20011-200503),
Head of National Solidarity Program NSP  (200503-200604),
Deputy Minister Rural Development and Rehabilitation MRRD (200604-200810)
Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (200810-201410)
Country Manager LAPIS Afghanistan, Moby Group (201503-201505)

Provincial Governor Herat (20150427-20181111 resigned)
Ambassador to the Netherlands (20200112)

3. Biodata
Rahimi_AsifMohammad Muhammad Asif Rahimi Mohammad Asef Rahimi, was born 1959 and raised in Paghman District, Kabul Province, Afghanistan. He holds a bachalor degree from Kabul University 1981 and has completed his post-graduate studies 1989 in Management of Development Programs from Omaha University in the US. He was educated in civil engineering at Kabul University and in public administration and management at Nebraska University in the United States.
 
Rahimi has worked extensively in the area of development and humanitarian relief both in Afghanistan and abroad. For over a decade he worked with CARE-USA as manager of CARE operations in Afghanistan. After he moved to Canada in 2001 Rahimi joined CARE-Canada as South Asia regional manager.

Returning to Afghanistan in early 2005, Rahimi joined the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD) as the head of National Solidarity Program (NSP) -the flagship community development initiative of the government of Afghanistan.

Since April 2006 he has served as the Deputy Minister for Programs in MRRD, a profile in which he leads all of the ministry's national and regional initiatives in rural development, infrastructure, and economic regeneration. 

One cable from the U.S. mission in Kabul in early year 2008 noted that the agriculture minister, Asif Rahimi, "appears to be the only minister that was confirmed about whom no allegations of bribery exist."

He was appointed Provincial Governor Herat Apr 27, 2015.

People speak of Rahimi as a symbolic and ceremonial official with little influence. They also describe him with phrases like ‘overly conservative’ or ‘extremely cautious.’ He is mostly seen meeting foreigners and various groups of local government officials and people in his office, speaking at events and opening exhibitions. Like other non-Herati governors, Rahimi is not heavily involved in Herat’s political and economic dynamics. In November 2016, Rahimi himself even referred publicly to his lack of power in Herat. Acting in this rather constrained way has helped him do one main thing: maintain his office, albeit without being able to deliver much. Additionally, as a governor on generally good terms with the two NUG leaders, as well as with Ismail Khan, Rahimi represents a weak administration that is more involved in its own internal politicking than public service delivery.(20170111)

The Governor of Western Herat Province Mohammad Asif Rahimi has resigned from his post, a source said on Saturday, Nov 11, 2019.

According to the source, the president accepted the resignation of Rahimi who served as the governor of Herat from 2015 till this date.

The Afghan embassy in the Netherlands, as the agreed-upon diplomatic channel between Afghanistan and the ICC, was notified of the judges’ decision on 31 October 2022. Asked about his intentions, ambassador Muhammad Asif Rahimi said on 2 November 2022 that the embassy had always supported justice, reparation for victims and prevention of atrocities and he hoped the ICC would be able to satisfy Afghan war victims and the Afghan nation with its impartial and holistic efforts. He confirmed that the embassy would not take any further action instead would wait for the positive efforts of the ICC and its prosecution. (20221111)

Rahimi speaks Dari and English.

Last Modified 2022-11-12
Established 2009-10-09