Dr. Najat Zarrouk is the Director of the African Local Government Academy of the United Cities and Local Governement of Africa based in Rabat since August 2016.

She has 39 years  of experience in the Public Service at national, continental and global levels, in particular as a former Civil servant in the Ministry of the Interior of Morocco where she served from 1983 to 2014.

In 2009, she was appointed by the Secretary General of the United Nations as a Member of the UN Committee of Experts on Public Administration (CEPA) where she served from 2010 to 2017, including as the Chair of this Committee in 2012 and 2013. She served also as a member of the Sub-Committee of CEPA in charge of the Evaluation of the nominees to the United Nations Public Service Award (UNPSA).

In 2009, she was appointed Member of the Board of the Arab Women's Leadership Institute (AWLI) where she served until 2012, as well as member of  Women’s Democracy Network (WDN). They are Networks supported by the American Government to empower women in the Arab Region,.

In 2018, she was elected Vice-President of the African Public Service Human Resources Managers Network (APS-HRMNet) since 2018.

In July 2019, she was elected member of the Board of the International Association of Schools and Institutes of Administration (AISIA) for the Term 2019-2022.

On 6^th February 2020, in Brussels, the President and the Members of the Board of Management of the International Association of Schools and Institutes of Administration (IASIA) appointed her as the Chairperson of the Streeting Committee of the International Commission of Accreditation of Administration, Education and Training Programs (ICAPA) of IASIA.

She received her Ph.D. in Political Sciences from the University Mohammed V of Rabat (International Relations option). She is also a graduated of the National School for Public Administration in Rabat (Student Honor) and of the University of Paris I (Pantheon-Sorbonne) in International, European and comparative studies. She also attended several training courses on public management at Pittsburgh University (USA), on Regional Development at Aix-Marseille III University (France), and on Decentralization-Devolution in France.

She chaired, or served, in many ministerial or inter-ministerial commissions and committees in charge of Devolution, simplification of administrative procedures and moralization of the public service, promotion of investments, advancement of childhood conditions, Gender approach, and modernization of human resources management at the local government’s level.

Author of many essays and articles on issues related to public administration and public service, and several Official documents for the United Nations published on United Nations Public Administration Network(UNPAN). She also published, in 2008, a book on “Trade and Development: from GATT to WTO” with the Foreword granted by Mr Pascal Lamy, former General Director of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

She is a part time lecturer in several training institutions and universities.  

 She received many national, regional, and international recognitions for her commitment for the Public Service, namely:

1. The UN Public Service Award (UNPSA), First Place in Africa (June 2013) for designing and implementing a Strategic Plan on Training, Capacity Building and Empowering Human Capital, Sensitive to Gender;
2. The National Order of Merit - Exceptional Degree (Meritorious Service Award) by His Majesty King Mohammed VI of Morocco (July 2013) as a Royal Recognition for her dedicated work and engagement in the Civil Service.
3. The OP DWIVEDI Award from the International Association of Schools and Institutes of Administration(AISIA) (July 2015) for her outstanding contribution to Public Administration and Public Policy in the World;
4. The Gold Medal 2018 from the African Association for Public Administration and Management(AAPAM).