Ajmal Shirzai, Ph.D., is the Country Director of Future Generations Afghanistan with 30+ years of experience in rural development, renewable energy, and NGO leadership across Afghanistan, Nepal, and Pakistan. He recently completed a Ph.D. at Erasmus University Rotterdam on the diffusion of solar energy in conflict-affected settings. Ajmal previously served as a Strategic Planning Advisor at the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development, as Head of the Afghanistan Institute for Rural Development, and as a scholar at Kabul University. His work focuses on locally led climate solutions, governance, and inclusive energy access.