Akram Hamid Begzadeh Jaff
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Akram Hamid Begzadeh Jaff الدكتور اكرم حامد بك جاف ‎(14 July 1929 – 21 November 2010) was a Kurdish leader who served in various posts in the Iraqi government and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). Also known as "Al Jaff" or "Al-Jaff" in some literature & records.


Early life

Akram Hamid Begzadeh Jaff was born on 14 July 1929 in the Kurdish town of
Halabja Halabja (, ) is a city in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and the capital of Halabja Governorate, located about northeast of Baghdad and from the Iranian border. The city lies at the base of what is often referred to as the greater Hewraman re ...
in the Kurdistan region of northern
Iraq Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...
, a member of the
Jaff tribe The Jaff tribe, () is one of the largest Kurdish tribal confederation, The Jaf tribes of Iraq were used to be called Muradi while those of Iran where called Javānrudi. Their heartland is between Sulaymaniyah to Sanandaj. The Jaff tribes predom ...
. He was the son of Hamid Begzadeh ("Hamid-Beg") Jaff. Dr. Jaff completed elementary and middle school in
Halabja Halabja (, ) is a city in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and the capital of Halabja Governorate, located about northeast of Baghdad and from the Iranian border. The city lies at the base of what is often referred to as the greater Hewraman re ...
, and his high school in
Baghdad Baghdad ( or ; , ) is the capital and List of largest cities of Iraq, largest city of Iraq, located along the Tigris in the central part of the country. With a population exceeding 7 million, it ranks among the List of largest cities in the A ...
. Dr. Jaff attended Royal Medical College in Baghdad briefly, before applying and getting accepted to university in the United States. Dr. Jaff moved to the United States to pursue his college education in 1948. In 1951 Dr. Jaff received a Bachelor's degree in Agricultural Sciences from the
Colorado State University Colorado State University (Colorado State or CSU) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Fort Collins, Colorado, United States. It is the flagship university of the Colorado State University Syst ...
in
Fort Collins, Colorado Fort Collins is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Home rule municipality, home rule municipality in Larimer County, Colorado, United States, and its county seat. The population was 169,810 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, an i ...
(USA). In 1952 Dr. Jaff received his Master of Science degree in Agricultural Engineering from the
University of Kentucky The University of Kentucky (UK, UKY, or U of K) is a Public University, public Land-grant University, land-grant research university in Lexington, Kentucky, United States. Founded in 1865 by John Bryan Bowman as the Agricultural and Mechanical ...
. In April 1957, he received his
PhD A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, DPhil; or ) is a terminal degree that usually denotes the highest level of academic achievement in a given discipline and is awarded following a course of graduate study and original research. The name of the deg ...
in Genetics and Plant Education from
Oregon State University Oregon State University (OSU) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Corvallis, Oregon, United States. OSU offers more than 200 undergraduate degree programs and a variety of graduate and doctor ...
in Corvallis, Oregon (USA). Dr. Jaff briefly paused his PhD work to return to Iraq where he got married, and returned to campus with his wife to finish his research.


Early career

Upon completion of his college education in the United States, Dr. Jaff returned to
Baghdad Baghdad ( or ; , ) is the capital and List of largest cities of Iraq, largest city of Iraq, located along the Tigris in the central part of the country. With a population exceeding 7 million, it ranks among the List of largest cities in the A ...
, Iraq, working in a range of scientific and administrative functions, including heading several agricultural delegations to the
Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
,
United States of America The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 contiguo ...
,
Yugoslavia , common_name = Yugoslavia , life_span = 1918–19921941–1945: World War II in Yugoslavia#Axis invasion and dismemberment of Yugoslavia, Axis occupation , p1 = Kingdom of SerbiaSerbia , flag_p ...
,
Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...
,
Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...
,
Syria Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...
and
Jordan Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is a country in the Southern Levant region of West Asia. Jordan is bordered by Syria to the north, Iraq to the east, Saudi Arabia to the south, and Israel and the occupied Palestinian ter ...
. Dr. Jaff held various positions in government and industry: * Director of Field Crop Research Department, Department Of Agriculture, Abu Ghraib College,
University of Baghdad The University of Baghdad (UOB) (, also known as Baghdad University) is a public university, public research university in Baghdad, Iraq. It is the largest university in Iraq and the tenth largest in the Arab world. History The College of Isl ...
(Iraq) * Member of the Board Of Directors of Rafidain Bank (Iraq) * Member of the National Insurance Company (Iraq) * Member of the Board Of Directors of the National Oil Company (Iraq) Dr. Jaff was appointed as Director-General in the Tobacco Monopoly Administration in Iraq, which was the sole producer, supplier and distributor of tobacco products. On 6 September 1965 Dr. Jaff became
Minister of Agriculture An agriculture ministry (also called an agriculture department, agriculture board, agriculture council, or agriculture agency, or ministry of rural development) is a ministry charged with agriculture. The ministry is often headed by a minister f ...
, among a small group of Kurds to occupy this high ranking post in the Iraqi government. In 1969 Dr. Jaff became a lecturer at the Faculty of Agriculture at Baghdad University. In 1969, he joined the
United Nations Development Program The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is a United Nations agency tasked with helping countries Poverty reduction, eliminate poverty and achieve Sustainable development, sustainable economic growth and Human development (economics), hu ...
(UNDP) in Somalia, and shortly thereafter, joined the
Food and Agriculture Organization The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations; . (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger and improve nutrition and food security. Its Latin motto, , translates ...
(FAO) which led to a twenty year period in Dr. Jaff's career.


UN career

Dr. Jaff joined the
United Nations System The United Nations System consists of the United Nations' six principal bodies (the General Assembly, Security Council, Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), Trusteeship Council, International Court of Justice (ICJ), and the United Nations ...
in 1970 as Senior Agriculture Adviser in the UNDP in
Mogadishu Mogadishu, locally known as Xamar or Hamar, is the capital and List of cities in Somalia by population, most populous city of Somalia. The city has served as an important port connecting traders across the Indian Ocean for millennia and has ...
,
Somalia Somalia, officially the Federal Republic of Somalia, is the easternmost country in continental Africa. The country is located in the Horn of Africa and is bordered by Ethiopia to the west, Djibouti to the northwest, Kenya to the southwest, th ...
where he served from 1970 to 1973. He later became the UNDP
Resident Coordinator {{Short description, United Nations official A United Nations Resident Coordinator is the highest United Nations official and the chief of UN diplomatic mission in a country (except when there is a mission of the Department of Peacekeeping Operation ...
in Somalia and oversaw, among other things, the transition of Somalia's
independence Independence is a condition of a nation, country, or state, in which residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory. The opposite of independence is the status of ...
from
Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
. In 1974, Dr. Jaff was appointed as Senior Agriculture adviser to UNDP in
Cairo Cairo ( ; , ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Egypt and the Cairo Governorate, being home to more than 10 million people. It is also part of the List of urban agglomerations in Africa, largest urban agglomeration in Africa, L ...
, Egypt. He was a member of the UN Transition Team of the return of Al Arish in the
Sinai Peninsula The Sinai Peninsula, or simply Sinai ( ; ; ; ), is a peninsula in Egypt, and the only part of the country located in Asia. It is between the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Red Sea to the south, and is a land bridge between Asia and Afri ...
to Egypt after the
Yom Kippur Yom Kippur ( ; , ) is the holiest day of the year in Judaism. It occurs annually on the 10th of Tishrei, corresponding to a date in late September or early October. For traditional Jewish people, it is primarily centered on atonement and ...
war between Israel and Egypt. In 1978, FAO established its official representation status in Egypt, and Dr. Jaff was appointed as FAO's first Representative and Head of Mission in Egypt. He remained in Egypt until 1980 at which time he accepted a senior executive role at FAO's Headquarters in Rome, Italy. Dr. Jaff and his family relocated to Rome in 1979, where he was appointed as Chief of Operations for the Middle East, North Africa and Eastern Mediterranean Countries (AGON). He managed a large operational portfolio of FAO's technical assistance projects. Dr. Jaff was later appointed as Director of FAO's Global Operation Division (AGO). From 1991 to 1992, he served as Special Senior Adviser to the Director-General of FAO for Middle East and North Africa affairs prior to retiring from the UN Systems in July 1992. On 9 May 2004 Ezzedine Salim, President of the Governing Council of Iraq, appointed Dr. Jaff as Iraqi Ambassador to the Rome Based Agencies (RBA) of the United Nations (
Food and Agriculture Organization The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations; . (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger and improve nutrition and food security. Its Latin motto, , translates ...
(FAO),
World Food Programme The World Food Programme (WFP) is an international organization within the United Nations that provides food assistance worldwide. It is the world's largest humanitarian organization and the leading provider of school meals. Founded in 1961 ...
(WFP), and
International Fund for Agricultural Development The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is an international financial institution and a specialised agency of the United Nations that works to address poverty and hunger in rural areas of developing countries. It is the on ...
(IFAD) ). This post represented Iraq's interests with the RBA, focused on agricultural programs and policies during the rebuilding of Iraq's infrastructure after the second Gulf War. Jaff presented his formal credentials as Ambassador to FAO Director-General
Jacques Diouf Jacques Diouf (1 August 1938 – 17 August 2019) was a Senegalese diplomat and the Director-General of the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) from January 1994 to 31 December 2011. He died on 17 August 2019, 16 days after hi ...
on November 15, 2004 as part of ongoing diplomatic relations. During his tenure as Ambassador, Dr. Jaff chaired several pertinent Committees as well as retaining membership in the World Food Programme Executive Board.


Research interests and publications

Dr. Jaff also participated in collections of agricultural scientific research, starting with his PhD and onward to in-field studies in his vocation. Dr. Jaff published multiple books and essays about the economy of Kurdistan, in the 1990s, which have been cited in various subsequent papers. Dr. Jaff's work has been cited in PhD dissertations in the field of Kurdish Studies and policy development in the region.


Retirement years

During his retirement years, Dr. Jaff collaborated with author and Baghdad University Professor of History Kamal Ahmad to have his writings on Kurdish history translated to English for publication and distribution to libraries at a collection of American universities.


Personal life

Dr. Jaff was married to Parween Hassan Jaff, from
Sulaymaniyah Sulaymaniyah or Slemani (; ), is a city in the east of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and is the capital of the Sulaymaniyah Governorate. It is surrounded by the Azmar (Ezmer), Goizha (Goyje) and Qaiwan (Qeywan) Mountains in the northeast, Bara ...
, the daughter of Hassan Begzadeh Jaff, landlord, poet, and member of parliament during the Iraqi monarchy from the
Halabja Halabja (, ) is a city in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and the capital of Halabja Governorate, located about northeast of Baghdad and from the Iranian border. The city lies at the base of what is often referred to as the greater Hewraman re ...
province of Northern Iraq. Dr. Jaff married Parween in a traditional Kurdish wedding in his hometown of Halabja in 1956.


Death

Dr. Akram Jaff died on 21 November 2010, in Erbil, Iraq, after being repatriated from his former home in Rome, Italy.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jaff, Akram Hamid Agriculture ministers of Iraq Iraqi Kurdistani people People from Halabja 1929 births 2010 deaths