Kevin Casas-Zamora

Kevin Casas-Zamora

Kevin Casas-Zamora is the Secretary General of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA), an intergovernmental organization based in Stockholm, Sweden that supports sustainable democracy worldwide.235 He was reappointed to a second, 5-year term in December 2023.2

Background

• Senior expert on democratic governance and security issues with over 25 years of experience1
• Former Vice President of Costa Rica and Minister for National Planning and Economic Policy14
• Secretary for Political Affairs at the Organization of American States14
• Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution14
• Managing Partner at Analítica Consultores del Istmo, a consulting firm specializing in political risk analysis1
• Non-Resident Senior Fellow at the Inter-American Dialogue, a Washington D.C. based policy research center1
• Professor at LEAD University in Costa Rica1

Education

• Law degree from the University of Costa Rica45
• MA in Government from the University of Essex45
• DPhil in Political Science from the University of Oxford45

Key Positions

• Secretary General, International IDEA (2019 - present)1235
• Senior Fellow, Inter-American Dialogue (2015 - present)136
• Professor, LEAD University (2017 - present)1
• Secretary for Political Affairs, Organization of American States (2012 - 2015)14
• Senior Fellow, Brookings Institution (2008 - 2012)14

Selected Publications

• "Beyond the Scandals: The Changing Context of Corruption in Latin America" (2017)
• "Paying for Democracy in Latin America: Political Finance and State Funding for Parties in Costa Rica and Uruguay" (2005)

Awards and Honors

• Selected as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum in 200745
• Member of the Bretton Woods Committee since 20134
• Recipient of the 2004 Jean Blondel PhD Prize from the European Consortium for Political Research for best thesis in politics in Europe45