Sultan Barakat is known for having pioneered both scholarship and practice in the field of post-war recovery. In 1993 he founded the Post-war Reconstruction and Development Unit (PRDU) at the University of York. Barakat designed and launched PRDU’s Masters of Arts degree in Post-War Recovery Studies.

In addition to his research and teaching, Barakat serves as senior advisor and consultant to numerous United Nations organizations, national governments, and non-governmental organizations. In these capacities he evaluates the recovery of war-torn and fragile states around the world and advocates for best practices based on community-driven recovery models.

Barakat’s work at the Brookings Doha Center will focus on exploring the challenges and opportunities of sustaining Qatar’s mediation capacity and on education in conflicts and emergencies.