Conference Program 2023

HE. Maitha Bint Salem Al Shamsi

Minister of State, UAE Government | United Arab Emirates

Her Excellency Dr. Maitha bint Salem Al Shamsi has joined the Federal Government in 2008 as Minister of State. She presided over the Marriage Fund until February 2016. Between the 2013-2014, she was entrusted with the presidency of Zayed University. Al Shamsi is consultant to Her Highness Shaikha Fatima bint Mubarak. Previously she held several administrative, academic and research jobs at the United Arab Emirates University. As an expert, Al Shamsi has participated in several international conferences and she has represented the UAE in several UN organizations such as ESCWA, UNIFEM and UNESCO. Al Shamsi has a number of contributions through her membership in the international, regional and local committees such as Sorbonne -Abu Dhabi University Board , Abu Dhabi University Board of Trustees, the Consultative Council for Arab Knowledge Report, the UNESCO Science Committee for the Arab Countries concerned with Education and Scientific Research, the GCC Office of Educational Research, the GCC Committee for Scientific and Technical Cooperation and the UAEU Scientific Council for the follow up of Mutual Research with the Japanese Cooperation Center for Oil. Al Shamsi holds a Ph.D. in Sociology and she authored several books, research articles and studies in different fields such as demography, development and women and Education. She received many awards and certificates of appreciation, including: the Order of the Rising Sun, the Gold and Silver Star from the Government of Japan in November 2018, the Academic Palm Medal and a Certificate of Appreciation from the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research in France in appreciation of the efforts in establishing the Sorbonne University in Abu Dhabi 2008, the HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Prize Rashid Al-Maktoum for the Arab Administration for "The Distinguished Arab Administrative Woman in the Arab World" 2003.

HE. Hamdan Al Mazrouie

Speaking on Behalf of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President, United Arab Emirates Red Crescent Authority | United Arab Emirates

Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Emirates Red Crescent; Holds a doctorate in the field of Humanitarian Organization in 2000. Currently the Chairman, United Arab Emirates Red Crescent Authority from 2013; Chairman of Board of Awfaq and Islamic Affairs Society 2006-2015; Chairman of Board of Shelters 2013; Member of Board of Directors of the UAE Red Crescent 2004-2013; Served as Deputy Secretary-General for Local for Affairs of the Red Crescent 2000-2003; Board Member of Al Hosn University UAE 2013; Board Member of the Zayed Foundation for Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation UAE 2009-2011; Chairman of Board of Trustees - Mohamed Bin Zayed University for Humanities; The recipient of several medals and wards from humanitarian agencies and reputable organization.

HE. Hamad Al Sheikh Ahmed Al Shaibani

Director-General, Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department (IACAD), Dubai | United Arab Emirates

Director-General, Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department (IACAD), Dubai

HE. Nivine El-kabbag

Minister of Social Solidarity, Arab Republic of Egypt | Egypt

H.E Minister Al Kabbag has more than 25 years of experience in the field of international cooperation, strategic management and institutional development. She also had considerable experience in social policies and in evaluation. Her graduate studies in international political economy and international relations in Canada complemented her practical experience in international organizations and in managing development cooperation agreements. Prior to her appointment as Minister of Social Solidarity in January 2020, she has worked as Deputy Minister of Social Solidarity for Social Protection and Development with a mandate to manage a number of files on top of the political state agenda including poverty alleviation, economic empowerment equity, gender mainstreaming as well as disability. Nivine is currently managing the secretariat of the Ministerial Committee for Social Justice led by the Prime Minister. Ten years working for UNICEF enhanced her international experience on the development framework and specifically on women and children issues. Before joining UNICEF, Nivine was the Deputy Director for America’s Development Foundation in Egypt and in National Council for Negro Women, which strengthened her skills in Advocacy, Governance and Sound Management. She was also a Policy, Planning and Monitoring Advisor for the General Secretary of the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood and for the National Council for population. Nivine is the founder and was the chairperson of the first Egyptian Research and Evaluation Network (EREN) in Egypt.

HE. Michael Koehler

Director-General, European Commission’s Department for Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations | Belgium

Since April 2022, Dr Köhler has been serving as Acting Director-General at DG ECHO. As of August 2019, Dr Köhler has been Deputy Director-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations in the European Commission’s DG ECHO where he coordinates the world-wide EU humanitarian aid activities. Previously, from 2015 to 2019, he was Director for EU- Neighbourhood Policy at the Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR) in the European Commission, where he was responsible for cooperation with Mediterranean Arab countries and Israel. From 2013 to 2014, he had been Director for the Eastern and Southern Neighbourhood in the Directorate-General for development and International Cooperation (DG DEVCO), Head of Cabinet to Commissioner for Energy, Günther H. Oettinger between 2010 and 2013 and Head of Cabinet to Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Dr Joe Borg, between 2008 and 2009. Since he joined the European Commission in 1994, Dr Köhler held several positions, including desk officer for Yemen and Iraq; Assistant to the Director for South Mediterranean, Middle and Near East; Deputy European Correspondent; Deputy Head of Unit in charge of the co-ordination of Common Foreign and Security Policy; Deputy Head of Cabinet to Commissioner Borg, Head of Unit for International Affairs and Law of the Sea at the Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries and acting Head of Unit for Maritime Policy for the Mediterranean and Black Sea. Before joining the European Commission, he worked as a representative of Konrad-AdenauerFoundation in Morocco and Tunisia, and later worked in the Policy Planning Department of the Federal Ministry of Economic Co-operation and Development in Germany. Michael Köhler holds a Dr. phil. in History and Middle Eastern Studies from Hamburg University (1987). He authored about thirty books, articles in international Islamic studies and foreign policy reviews on aspects of the political, economic and cultural development of the Muslim World, on the Arab League and on regional integration in the Maghreb, co-operation in the Mediterranean and development co-operation. Since 1997 he is a professor for "Europe and the Mediterranean" the College of Europe in Bruges, Belgium, and in addition between 2006 and 2016 he served as a senior Fellow of the Center for European Integration Studies at the University of Bonn, Germany.

Mr. Ramesh Rajasingham

Speaking on Behalf of H.E. Mr. Martin Griffiths, United Nations Under Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator | USA

Head and Representative of OCHA–Geneva and Director of the Coordination Division - OCHA-Geneva Mr. Ramesh Rajasingham is the Head and Representative of OCHA–Geneva and Director of the Coordination Division - OCHA-Geneva. Before that, he was the Acting Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator at United Nations OCHA, from March 2020 to February 2022. Mr. Rajasingham previously also served as Director of OCHA’s Coordination Division from September 2018 to February 2020. Mr. Rajasingham’s career in the field of humanitarian affairs and with the United Nations system spans over 25 years, and includes assignments in Headquarters as well as in crisis settings, with OCHA and UNICEF. Most recently, he served as Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator for the Syria Crisis. Prior to that, he held such senior appointments as the Director of the Secretariat of the Secretary-General’s High-level Panel on the Global Response to Health Crises and OCHA’s Head of Office in the occupied Palestinian territory. His other field assignments also include Afghanistan, Iran, Montenegro, Bosnia Herzegovina and Sudan. At Headquarters, he has served in various capacities in the response, protection and policy activities. Originally from Sri Lanka, Mr. Rajasingham is an economist trained in the United Kingdom and the United States of America.

HE. Gerhard Putman-Cramer

CEO, DIHAD Sustainable Humanitarian Foundation | Switzerland

Currently: -Ambassador, Permanent Observer of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean to the United Nations and other International Organisations in Geneva; -Chief Executive Officer, Dubai International Humanitarian Aid and Development (DIHAD) Sustainable Humanitarian Foundation; -Member, Dubai Council on the Future of Humanitarian Aid (Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives); Higher Council Member of the International Congress for Health Specialties (ICHS); Former member of the Advisory Committee on International Operations of the Swiss Red Cross and of the Board of the Henri Dunant Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue; former Senior Associate of the Global Humanitarian Forum, Geneva. In his capacity as Permanent Observer of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM) to the United Nations in Geneva, Ambassador Putman-Cramer provides support to a number of initiatives undertaken by – or aimed at – PAM member states. This involves developing and applying various aspects of parliamentary diplomacy, often as inputs complementary to actions conducted under the auspices of the UN. As the CEO of the DIHAD Sustainable Humanitarian Foundation, Amb. Putman-Cramer spearheads a number of the Foundation’s initiatives (including the newly created DIHAD College) and elaborates as well as oversees the Conference Programme of the annual DIHAD event (www.dihad.org). The most recent Conference (14-16 March 2022) had as its theme: “SDG 17, Partnerships and Cooperation for Sustainable Development”. From 1975 until 2009 Amb. Putman-Cramer was with the United Nations, initially with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and subsequently with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (DHA/OCHA). He served in New York (on 3 separate occasions), in Geneva (also on 3 separate occasions) and in a variety of field locations (including 2 years in Malaysia and 3 years in Madagascar). The last 14 years of his UN career saw him in the position of Chief of OCHA’s Emergency Services (concurrently appointed as Deputy Director, OCHA Geneva), during which time he created and developed a number of effective international response mechanisms and instruments (e.g the United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination Team – UNDAC – and the Civil/Military Coordination concept ) while also reinforcing, together with the concerned authorities in disaster-prone countries, essential response capacities at the community, national and regional levels. During this period also, he led a large number of emergency/disaster response missions to, inter alia, Iraq (in the years 1991-94 and in 2003, as Area Coordinator for the Centre Region), the Caucasus, Tajikistan, Pakistan (the 2005 earthquake), Turkey, Mongolia, Thailand and Indonesia (also in the context of the South-East Asia Tsunami). Amb. Putman-Cramer has a ‘’Diplôme Universitaire en Santé Humanitaire’’ from the University Claude-Bernard in Lyon, a Post-Graduate Diploma (Economics, International Relations and International Law) from the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna, a Post-Graduate Diploma (Economic Development) from the Polytechnic of North London and a B.A. (Hons.) in Literature from Bedford College, University of London. Amb. Putman-Cramer is married and has two daughters.

Prof. Mukesh Kapila

Professor Emeritus, Global Health and Humanitarian Affairs, University of Manchester; Former Under Secretary-General, IFRC | Switzerland

Mukesh Kapila is Professor of Global Health and Humanitarian Affairs, University of Manchester. He is also Senior Adviser to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean. He is a writer, public and media speaker, and has extensive experience in global health, humanitarian affairs, conflict and security, international development, human rights and diplomacy, He has qualifications in medicine, public health, and development from the Universities of Oxford and London. He has served in senior leadership functions at the UK Government Department for International Development, United Nations, World Health Organization, and International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. He has advised many multilateral institutions including the World Bank and UN agencies, and international NGOs. He has served on several Boards, including Chair of Minority Rights Group International, and of Nonviolent Peaceforce which was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2016. His other roles have included Founder CEO of the Defeat-NCD Partnership at the United Nations. His many awards include a CBE from Queen Elizabeth II, the Global Citizenship Award of the Institute for Global Leadership, the “I Witness!” award for human rights, and a special resolution of the California State Legislature for “lifetime achievements and meritorious service”. His first memoir “Against a Tide of Evil” was shortlisted for the 2013 Best Non-Fiction Book award. His further book (2019) is entitled “Not a Stranger to Kindness”.

HE. Yvette Stevens

Executive in Residence, Geneva Centre for Security Policy, Former Permanent Representative of Sierra Leone; Former Director, UN OCHA, Geneva | Switzerland

Ambassador Stevens has had a broad and long experience in the United Nations System. An Engineer by training, She joined the United Nations in 1980 and served ILO, UNHCR, UNDESA, Office of the Special Adviser for Africa, OCHA and ISDR. At UNHCR, she served as Evaluation Officer as well as Chief of the Technical Support Section of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) in Geneva, both of which involved thorough analyses of refugee situations in about 30 countries, all over the world. She also served UNHCR in Africa, first as Deputy Liaison Representative in Ethiopia and as the UNHCR Representative to Kenya and Somalia. She became Director for Africa at the UN Secretariat in New York. Before retirement, she was the United Nations Assistant Emergency Relief Coordinator and Director of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Geneva from 2004 to 2006. After retirement from the UN, between 2006 and 2009, Ambassador Stevens worked as a freelance consultant on humanitarian issues as well as on disaster risk reduction in Africa. Following this, she worked as an Energy Policy Adviser to the Government of Sierra Leone, before being appointed Permanent Representative in Geneva in 2012. As Permanent Representative of Sierra Leone, Ambassador Stevens was active, inter alia, on human rights issues, (including Child Early and Forced Marriage, Persons Living with Albinism and Women’s Rights); trade (Women and Trade, Trade Assistance to Least Developing Countries); disarmament (Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems). She served as Chairperson of the Intergovernmental Working Group on the Implementation of the DDPA from 2016 to 2018. She is currently Executive in Residence at the Geneva Center for Security Policy.

Mr. Greg Puley

Head of Climate Team, Office of the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs | Switzerland

Greg Puley leads the Climate Team in the Office of the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs. Greg has had a long career of both programme management and policy development in the humanitarian sphere in Africa, Asia and Latin America. With the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs he has served as Chief of Section, Middle East and North Africa; Deputy Head of Office and Head of Office ai., Myanmar; Senior Advisor in the Coordination and Response Division; Chief of Section, Protection and Displacement; and in short term capacities in the OCHA offices in Yemen, Syria, South Sudan and Venezuela. In 2022, Greg authored a landmark study on the global impact of extreme heat, jointly published by the United Nations and the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. In 2016 Greg led an inter-agency team supporting the Secretary General's Special Envoys on El Niño and Climate, producing a globally-agreed protocol for early response to extreme weather events related to El Niño. Prior to joining the United Nations, Greg worked in civil society organizations in several different capacities, including for Oxfam as Head of the New York office, global policy lead for conflict and humanitarian issues, Country Director in the Russian Federation and Ethiopia, and short term assignments in Gaza, Zimbabwe and the Central African Republic. Greg also led a joint project between civil society and the Government of Canada on the 'Responsibility to Protect' in Africa, and spent several years in Central America with the Arias Foundation for Peace and Human Progress, managing projects aimed at curbing the impact of small arms violence in the post-war context, and chairing the global steering group in support of an Arms Trade Treaty. He holds degrees from Queen's University in Canada, and the London School of Economics.

Mr. Ivano Iannelli

CEO, Dubai Carbon Centre of Excellence; Senior Advisor to the CEO, Emirates Global Aluminium | United Arab Emirates

Ivano is widely acknowledged as the GCC's foremost expert in the fields of Sustainability, GHG inventories and Carbon Markets. He is a Board Director of the ESG Foundation and a subject matter expert in green economy, Sustainability and low carbon pathways from an economic standpoint. His primary work is with governments and corporate clients to develop long-term economic scenarios that help them understand the risks and opportunities that the transition to a low-carbon economy could bring to their operations. Ivano is currently the Senior Advisor to the CEO of Emirates Global Aluminium, the world’s 3rd largest aluminium producer, on ESG and Carbon Border Adjustment mechanism (CBAM). He has extensive experience in developing policy solutions both for the Gulf Region and internationally through 25 years of combined experience with the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, as the CEO of Dubai Carbon, and working for the United Nations. He heads up the Global Carbon Markets team acting as Dubai’s lead negotiator on market-based mechanisms at the UNFCCC COPs, helping to design the future framework for global carbon markets. Ivano helped to develop Dubai’s and the UAE’s Green House Gas reporting on annual basis, the National Determined Contributions (NDCs) and the energy efficiency policy framework, assessing potential policy solutions for both industries, small businesses, and residential properties. He is part of the International Civil Aviation Organization’s working group developing the new market-based measure for aviation and supports the UAE’s input into CORSIA. Ivano is an active part of the World Bank’s Carbon Pricing Leadership Coalition, Partnership for Market Readiness, and the Task Force for Scaling Voluntary Carbon Markets (now Integrity Council). He helped design the AED 100bn Dubai Green Fund, an innovative financing scheme designed to drive green infrastructure, renewables and energy efficiency in large, non-energy intensive industries and led a team exploring policy solutions to overcome the barriers preventing small businesses from taking up energy efficiency measures. As a development economist, he specializes in the integration of international financial incentives and PPP models into the project development phase with a particular focus on the carbon layer, green energy and sustainable commercial initiatives, thus increasing the profitability of socio-environmental projects. Of notable mentions are Dubai’s PPA legislation that kicked off the renewables drive and global benchmarks. Ivano is a Doctoral Candidate with Herriot Watt University researching CBAM, has post-graduate specialization from MIT in Blockchain Economics and in Strategy from Harvard Business School, with a focus on Disruptive Innovation. He also holds an MBA with a concentration in Aviation Management from the University of Coventry (UK), a Master's Degree in International Management from the University of Cambridge (UK) and a Bachelor's Degree in International Relations from the University of Memphis (USA). Ivano has more than 25 years of extensive business experience in different regions. Short Ivano is widely acknowledged as the GCC's foremost experts in the fields of Sustainability, GHG inventories and Carbon Markets. He is Board Director of the ESG Foundation, formerly the CEO of Dubai Carbon and a United Nations senior official before then. He is a subject matter expert in environmental economics and low carbon strategies. Ivano has extensive experience in facilitating economically relevant low-carbon pathways and Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). For the past 2 decades, he has aggregated and managed GHG National inventories across the GCC, NDCs and State Action Plans, with a focus on Private Sector synergies. He is part of the UAE Negotiation team on carbon markets at the UNFCCC COP as well as part of the ICAO working group on new market-based measures for aviation, and currently supports the UAE’s input into CORSIA. Ivano is also working with the World Bank’s Carbon Pricing Leadership Coalition, Partnership for Market Readiness, and the newly launched Task Force for Scaling Voluntary Carbon Markets. He is currently pursuing his Doctoral Research on CBAM.

HE. Fabrizzio Carboni

Regional Director Near and Middle East, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) | Belgium

Mr. Fabrizio Carboni holds a degree in Law and a Master in International Law from Université Libre de Bruxelles. Mr. Carboni joined the ICRC in September 1998 as an intern in the legal division. In November 1999, he conducted his first mission, in Afghanistan. He then alternated between the field and headquarters, leading operational activities while in the field. From 2010 to 2013 he was the deputy head of the Multilateral Organizations, Policy and Humanitarian Action division in Geneva. Mr. Carboni was head of the ICRC delegation in Lebanon before taking over as head of the ICRC delegation in Yangon in August 2017. Since September 2018 he has been Regional Director for the Near and Middle East and is based in Geneva. Mr Carboni is married and has two children.

HE. Eynat Shlein

Head of MASHAV - Israel's Agency for International Development Cooperation; Deputy Director General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Israel | Israel

Ambassador Eynat Shlein is the Head of MASHAV, Israel's agency for International Development Cooperation, and a deputy director general in the Israeli ministry of Foreign Affairs. Born and raised in Israel, she joined the Foreign Service as a career diplomat in 1992, specializing in the Middle East region, Israeli-Arab relations and American affairs, promoting dialog and understanding in the region.

Mr. Shukri Ahmed

Deputy Director, Office of Emergencies and Resilience, United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) | Democratic Republic Of The Congo

Mr Shukri Ahmed is currently the Deputy Director of the Office of Emergencies and Resilience (OER) in FAO, where he leads the programmatic work aimed at supporting countries and communities in building and/or strengthening inclusive and resilient livelihood and agrifood systems in the face of ever increasing and compounding shocks and stresses. His previous work experiences include team leadership of FAO’s Global Information and Early Warning System (FAO/GIEWS); a research assistant at the Centre for the Study of African Economies (CSAE) in the University of Oxford; Economic and Agriculture Statistician at the Central Statistical Authority in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Main areas of work comprise: risk management and reduction in agriculture, including: risk information and analysis on food security and agriculture; risk governance with related institutional issues; prevention and risk reduction interventions and measures; and preparedness and response, including in natural hazards, food chain crises, conflict and protracted crisis. Other areas of interest include pastoralism and agriculture in arid lands; the economics of agriculture and household decisions in resource allocation. Mr Ahmed has a D.Phil. and a M.Sc. in Agricultural Economics from the University of Oxford and a BA in Economics from the University of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

HE. Alistair Burt

Former Minister of State for the Middle East at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office; Advisor to The Power of Nutrition | United Kingdom

Alistair Burt was Minister of State for the Middle East at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Minister of State at the Department for International Development from June 2017 to March 2019. Alistair served as Minister of State for Community and Social Care at the Department of Health from May 2015 until July 2016. Previously he served as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Foreign & Commonwealth Office from May 2010 until October 2013. He entered Parliament for the first time in 1983 and was elected Conservative MP for north east Bedfordshire in 2001.

Mr. Thomas Thompson

Chief Strategic Engagement, Supply Chain Division WFP Headquarters, Rome | Italy

Thomas Thompson leads Supply Chain’s Strategic Engagement at the United Nations’ World Food Programme (WFP). This multi-faceted portfolio, focused on anticipating the needs of WFP Supply Chain in 2030 and beyond, includes supporting the transition towards a sustainable and resilient supply chain, strengthening national systems and country capacities, supporting WFP’s engagement in UN Reform, and fostering strategic partnerships to achieve this. Of particular focus is the promotion of sustainability initiatives so that WFP Supply Chain reduces its potential negative environmental impact and so that resilience initiatives are embedded in supply chain interventions. Tommy is one of WFP’s most called upon and experienced-field operatives, with over 20 years’ experience in austere environments and challenging operations; and an additional 9 years between headquarters and regional bureaux positions. His extensive knowledge of the context of WFP’s more complex operations ensures a unique and insightful input to WFP’s strategic and policy direction. He commenced his WFP career in Sudan in the early 90s, and since then, Tommy has managed all manner of logistics and supply chain operations, much of it in war zones - air operations, river deliveries, procuring bulk grains, Operation Lifeline Sudan, the Indian Ocean Tsunami, building roads in South Sudan, the Somalia drought response, the West African Ebola response, the Beirut blast response. His most recent field assignment was as WFP’s Emergency Coordinator in Northern Ethiopia. Tommy is also experienced in managing inter-agency offices and was the Global Logistics Cluster Coordinator during which time WFP, its partners (public and private sector), governments and the humanitarian community relied on his diplomacy and networking skills, along with his vision for how to work together to achieve common objectives and goals.

Ms. Umra Omar

Community Conservation Strategist and Founder, Safari Doctors, Lamu, Kenya | Kenya

Revolutionary | Mother | Humanitarian | Public Servant Born in Kenya and educated around the world, Umra is a globally recognized public figure known for pushing the limits to navigate identity politics and make a difference by disrupting oppressive status quo paradigms. She currently lives in Lamu, Kenya, where she is the founder of a free medical program, a school for the disenfranchised and sports programs to uplift young boys and girls. Umra is running for Governor of Lamu County in Kenya’s 2022 General Elections making her the first and youngest woman from Kenya’s coast to ever make such an attempt despite the toxic patriarchy and security risks involved. AWARDS & RECOGNITION 2021: Amujae Leader, EJS Presidential Center for Women and Development, Liberia 2020: National Hero Award, Government of Kenya 2020: United Nations Real Life Hero, Global 2019: Young Global Leader (YGL), World Economic Forum 2019: Coast Woman of the Year, Kenya 2019: Robert Burns Humanitarian, Scotland 2018: Aurora Goodwill Ambassador, Armenia 2017: UN Kenya Person of the Year, Kenya 2017: African Leaders for Change, South Africa 2017: Business Daily Top 40 under 40, Kenya 2016: CNN Hero, United States of America

Mr. Mohamed Lemine

UNFPA Representative in Sudan | Sudan

Mohamed Lemine joined UNFPA Sudan as representative in 2021 with over 20 years of experience working in the areas of population and development, data, and research. He is a demographer, with extensive experience in the management of large programs in development and humanitarian settings. Prior to Sudan, Mohamed Lemine was the UNFPA representative in Congo (from 2018 to 2021) after holding the position of UNFPA Deputy Representative in Sudan (2014-2018). He joined UNFPA Chad as deputy representative from 2011 to 2014, coming from the positions of successively program officer and assistant representative with UNFPA Mauritania (2003-2010). He started his professional career with the national statistics office in Mauritania, as chief of social statistics and deputy coordinator of DHS surveys (1998-2022). He conducted several research and studies related to population, gender, and reproductive health.

Dr. Fawzi Amin

Head of Delegation, International Federation of Red Cross & Red Crescent Societies in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) | Sweden

Dr. Fawzi is a Bahraini Family Physician. He studied medicine and graduated in 1977 from Cairo University, obtained his specialty certificate in Family Medicine from the American University of Beirut in 1982, got his Master Degree in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University - Maryland USA, and finished his PhD in 1998 from Leeds University UK. Dr. Fawzi joined the Ministry of Health in 1979, worked in different sections and department of both Health Center and Salmanyah Medical Center for over 32 years; appointed in leadership positions; and in 2004, he was appointed by Royal Decree as the Assistant Undersecretary for Training, Planning and Information. Retired from the Ministry of Health on October 2011, Dr. Fawzi continued working in his private Comprehensive Medical Clinic and was teaching Family Medicine including Elderly Health in the Arabian Gulf University. At present, Dr. Fawzi is the Head of the Diplomatic Mission representing The International Federation of Red Cross and Crescent for GCC at the Dubai office in United Arab Emirates. In addition, Professor Fawzi Amin was recently appointed as the Director for the New Humanitarian Education Centre in the Gulf Medical University in UAE.

Dr. Samar El-Feky

Regional Advisor, Community-Based Initiatives and Healthy Settings, World Health Organization (WHO) | Egypt

Dr. Samar is a Medical Doctor qualified in Public Health from The University of Liverpool, UK and Health System Research from Johns Hopkins University, USA. Dr ElFeky has working experience in WHO/EMRO in health promotion and wellbeing, social determinants of Health, Health for Older People, integrating Health in All Policies (HiAP), health literacy and community engagement. Dr ElFeky participated actively in promoting and implementing healthy settings (Age-friendly cities, health promoting schools, healthy workplaces, healthy villages and healthy markets), research, Primary and Community Health Care. Dr ElFeky participated also in introducing, monitoring and evaluation of Healthy Cities Programme in countries of the Region including Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Lebanon, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Tunisia and UAE. In addition, Dr ElFeky participated in implementing Urban Health Equity Assessment and Response Tool (Urban HEART) in Egypt, Iran, Morocco, Jordan, Sudan and Tunisia.

HE. Abdul Aziz Al Ghurair

Co-Founder and Chairman, Al Ghurair Foundation | United Arab Emirates

His Excellency, Abdul Aziz Al Ghurair, is the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Mashreq Bank. He was the CEO of Mashreq for nearly 30 years and under his leadership, Mashreq grew from a small local bank, to a leading customer centric financial institution in the region known for its innovative products and services. Furthermore, His Excellency is a member of the Board of Directors of Abdullah Al Ghurair Group of Companies, one of the biggest and most successful business groups in the United Arab Emirates and the Middle East, with operations spanning more than 20 countries and business roots stretching back half a century. His Excellency was elected as a speaker on the United Arab Emirates Federal National Council (UAE Parliament), from 2007 until 2011. Previously, he sat on the Board of Directors of major companies such as Emaar, Dubai Investments, Visa International, MasterCard, Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Co-Chairman of the Arab Business Council – World Economic Forum (WEF). He was also a member of the Consultative GCC Council for the GCC Leaders and President of The Knowledge Fund, and a member of the Board of Trustees of New York University, USA. His Excellency holds an Honours’ Degree from the California Polytechnic State University in Industrial Engineering.

Dr. Yannick Du Pont

Chief Executive Officer, SPARK, Amsterdam | Netherlands

Founder and director of SPARK, Yannick has been working in the field of higher education & economic development in post-conflict countries since 1994. Yannick worked for the Netherlands Minister of Development Cooperation from 1996 to 1997. Later with the Dutch PAX; and the Development think-tank of the Dutch Labor Party, the Evert Vermeer Foundation, Yannick was engaged as researcher for the Netherlands Institute of International Relations “Clingendael” to evaluate the performance of the OSCE Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (2000/2001). SPARK supports growth oriented SMEs and facilitates youth job creation in conflict affected states in primarily East Africa & the Horn, North Africa & the Middle East (Syria crisis, Palestine and Yemen) and Afghanistan. Programmes provide access to higher (vocational) education and jobs to refugees and host communities. Next to his work at Spark, Yannick du Pont also serves on the Board of the Max van der Stoel Foundation (Amsterdam), Advisory Board of the Centre of Theory of Change (New York) and the International Advisory Board of the DIHAD Sustainable Humanitarian Foundation (Dubai).

Dr. Sonia Ben Jaafar

CEO, Al Ghurair Foundation, Dubai | United Arab Emirates

Dr. Ben Jaafar currently serves as the CEO of the Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation for Education, one of the largest privately funded philanthropic education initiatives in the Arab world. Prior to this role, she was the Managing Director of EduEval, where she cultivated partnerships with governments, international agencies, not-for-profit organizations, and multinational corporations to promote evidence-based decisions for a greater positive impact on education. She is currently the Chairperson for the Global Councils on Sustainable Development Goals, which was established by the World Government Summit to implement projects with tangible outcomes and support the international implementation of the SDGs. She holds a PhD in Educational Leadership, and a MA in Curriculum Studies from the University of Toronto. She is passionate about coupling her experience with her academic background to promote knowledge sharing and education for good

Dr. Waleed Al Ali

Secretary General, The Digital School, UAE | United Arab Emirates

Dr. Waleed Al Ali – is the secretary general and board member for The Digital School Initiative, He also holds responsibilities in a number of leading initiatives in Dubai including senior advisor at Mohammed Bin Rashid Global Initiatives (MBRGI), the general coordinator for Madrasa.org e-learning initiative and the coordinator for Dubai Future Council for Humanitarian Aid. Dr.Waleed has extensive experience in the areas of strategic planning, educational strategies, social & humanitarian innovation, and digital transformation. الدكتور وليد آل علي هو أمين عام وعضو مجلس إدارة مبادرة المدرسة الرقمية، ويتولى كذلك عدد من المسؤوليات في عدد من المبادرات الرائدة بما فيها مستشار أول في مؤسسة مبادرات محمد بن راشد آل مكتوم العالمية والمشرف العام لمنصة مدرسة للتعليم الإلكتروني، ويشغل أيضاً مهمة منسق مجلس دبي لمستقبل العمل الإنساني. وللدكتور وليد خبرة واسعة في مجالات التخطيط الاستراتيجي وإدارة الابتكار، واستراتيجيات التعليم، ومشاريع الابتكار الاجتماعي والتنموي والتحول الرقمي.

Ms. Ayah Shashaa

Global Vice President, Societal Impact, Udacity | United Arab Emirates

Ayah leads Udacity’s partnerships and programs with governments and foundations globally, in the Middle East, Africa, North America, Asia, and South America. These partnerships support in-nation building through closing the demand-supply skill gap that countries are facing. Ayah has 15 years of experience. She joined Udacity in 2017, prior to which she had 10+ years of experience in consulting in the US and the Middle East. Most recently, Ayah was at McKinsey & Company, where she advised governments on large economic development projects. She was also involved in shaping McKinsey’s capability development and leadership development strategy.

HE. Francesco Rocca

President, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC) | Switzerland

Francesco Rocca, President of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent. Mr. Rocca was born in 1965 in Rome and is a lawyer by profession. He started his career with his own law firm. In 2003, he moved to the health administrative sector and was the Director of St. Andrea Hospital, headed the Department of Social Affairs of the City of Rome and until recently the General Director of a Dermatological Hospital. Mr. Rocca joined the Italian Red Cross in 2008 when he was asked to lead the change process of the Italian Red Cross and transform the structure from a public-sector organisation to a private volunteer-based organisation. The change process has been massive and today it works under a new umbrella guided by volunteers. Mr Rocca was elected president of this new structure in 2013. In 2009, when Italian Red Cross was elected member of the IFRC Governing Board Mr. Rocca was the appointed representative. In 2013 he was elected Vice President and in 2017 he was elected President of the IFRC, a position to which he was re-elected in 2022. Mr. Rocca speaks Italian, English, and Spanish. He is father of two sons and grandfather of Marie.

HE. Monsignor Yoannis Lahzi Gaid

Representative of the Holy See in the High Committee of Human Fraternity, President of the Bambino Gesù Association and the Human Fraternity Foundation | Egypt

Yoannis Lahzi Gaid was born in Cairo, Egypt, in 1975. Studied at the Coptic Catholic seminary in Cairo and was ordained priest for Coptic Catholic Patriarchate of Alexandria, Egypt in 2001. In 2002 He studied at the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome, earning a doctorate in the canon law. In 2006 He edited a volume of texts from the Code of Canon Law for the Eastern Churches. In 2007 He attended the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy and joined the diplomatic service of the Holy See. His assignments included stints in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Gabon, and as charge d’Affaires of the Apostolic Nunciatures to Jordan and Iraq. On 1 July 2011, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him a chaplain of His Holiness with the title monsignor. In 2012 He founded the Arab Section in the Vatican and served as an Arabic translator for Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis at their General Audiences and in meetings with Arabic-speaking diplomats and government officials. In April 2014 Pope Francis appointed him as his Second Personal Secretary. He continues to work for the Secretariat of State as well. His appointment was interpreted as gesture of support for Eastern Catholic churches and dialog with the Arab and Muslim world. In February 2019 Mgr Gaid participated in the Apostolic Journey of Pope Francis to the United Arab Emirates, where the Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together, was signed in Abu Dhabi by Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmad Al-Tayyeb. In February 2019 His Highness Shaikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of the United Arab Emirates, has conferred the First Class Order of Zayed II on Monsignor Yoannis Lahzi Gaid, in recognition of his efforts to guarantee dialogue and coexistence between different religions. In September 2019 Mgr Gaid was named as a member of a Higher Committee of Human Fraternity. He was also named a member of its executive board. In July 2020 Mgr Gaid left his service as Personal Secretary of Pope Francis. He is currently the Representative of the Holy See in the High Committee of Human Fraternity and the President of the Bambino Gesù Association and the Human Fraternity Foundation. In 2022 Mons. Gaid was appointed by Pope Francis as his Personal Representative in the Project of the House of Abraham and Parish Priest of the Church dedicated to St. Francis in this project.

Mr. Claus Sorensen

Senior Adviser on Resilience, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response, Norwegian Refugee Council; Former Director-General, ECHO | Denmark

Senior Adviser on Resilience, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response, Norwegian Refugee Council. Until 2016 Mr. Sørensen was the Director General for Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection in the European Commission (ECHO). Before that he held the post as Director General of Communication. He is a career diplomat in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark. His first posting from 1981 was at the Danish Delegation to the OECD (Paris). In 1988-89 he was trade and finance councilor at the Danish Permanent Representation to the EU in Brussels. In 1990 he moved to the Executive arm in the Commission under the lead of Jacques DELORS and joined the Cabinet of Vice-president Christophersen working on the EURO, relations with Eastern Europe, the Enlargement with Sweden, Austria and Finland as well as Social and Environmental issues. As Sweden became member of the EU in 1995 he joined their first Cabinet and worked on the fight against organized crime, social and labor market issues and the further enlargement of the EU to the East. Between 1999 and 2011, Mr. Sørensen held top management positions within the European Commission, most notably Director for International Environmental issues, Head of Cabinet for the Commissioner for Agriculture and later Head of Cabinet for the Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian assistance. He is a Board member of the Norwegian Refugee Council, Oslo, Institut Bioforce, Lyon, Center for Global Development, Washington, the Global Executive Leadership Initiative, Geneva, Committed to Good, Dubai and Thinktank Europa, Copenhagen. Mr Sørensen has a Master of Economic Science from Aarhus University and is regularly lecturing at the University of Lund, Kings College and Copenhagen.

HE. Yerlan Baidaulet

Director General, Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS) | Kazakhstan

Prof. Yerlan Baidaulet is currently the Director General of the Kazakhstan based Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS), a specialized Institution of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). Before reaching this high post at the IOFS in May 2019, Prof. Baidaulet held several important high level roles at his home country, Kazakhstan, including at the Ministry of Investments and Development of Kazakhstan, as Adviser (out of staff) to the Minister (in charge of cooperation with OIC Member States), at KAZNEX INVEST as Managing Director, Special Representative on Cooperation with the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), IsDB Executive Director in charge of 7 IsDB Member Countries (2011-2014), Acting IsDB Governor (for 39th and 41st IsDB Annual Meetings (Mozambique/Indonesia), Ministerial Special Envoy for Industrial Goods Exports to OIC Member States, and JSC KazGeology, Advisor. The IOFS Director General has an extensive working experience in banking and finance, as he has published several Articles on Islamic Finance (Business Islamica (No.7, 2010), Global IF Report 2011 (UK), Willey’s World Islamic Finance Handbook 2014 (RedMoney Group, KL), interviews for Thompson Reuters, Bloomberg, and Kazakh mass-media. In fact, his publications in this important field include a book on Basics of the Islamic (Ethical) finance, 2010 (published in Russian, Kazakh, and Uzbek), Islamic Finance: theory, practice, regulatory issues, 2016. Due to this important work in finance & banking, Prof. Baidaulet is holder of Global Islamic Finance Special Prize 2015 (Leadership Role) for the contribution to the development of the global Islamic Finance industry (awarded in Bahrain by GIFA UK Committee), and in recognition of his critical role for the development of IOFS, he was awarded with the prestigious Prix De La Foundation (CMF Award) 2022 by HRH Prince Jean de Luxembourg at the Crans Montana Forum in November 2022 in Geneva. This award reflects the recognition of the increasing role the IOFS and its partners play in implementing the vitally important aspect of food security in the global agenda. Born on 07 August 1970, married and father of two, the IOFS Director General expresses himself in Kazakh, Russian, English, German (fluent), Arabic (primary), and in accordance with the Resolution of the Cabinet of ministers of the Republic of Kazakhstan no. 584 of 02 June 1994 by the decision of the Academic Council of the International Islamic University "Rukhaniyat" (2011), he was awarded the academic title – Professor. Additionally, by the decision of the Academic Council of the Kazakh National Agrarian University, protocol №10 of 25 May 2021, he was awarded the title of Honorary Professor

Mr. Omar Christidis

CEO, Arabnet, Beirut | Netherlands

Omar Christidis was a first mover and early evangelist in the regional digital space, commanding a decade-long track record in driving the conversation around tech and innovation in the region. Over 12 years, his company, Arabnet, has organized over 30 tech conferences, featuring more than 2,000 global experts, and has issued over a dozen original research reports. Omar is an Advisory Board member of the Strategic Foresights Program at the Middle East Institute (Washington DC), a Faculty Member and Moderator at the Aspen Institute, UK, a Board Member of the Lebanese Exhibitions & Conferences Association (LECA), and a Founding Board Member of the Yale Arab Alumni Association. Omar possesses expert knowledge in digital disruption, emerging business models, and corporate innovation strategies. His cross-sectoral expertise and industry insight enables him to play an effective role in spotting future trends, identifying gaps in the market, and future-proofing businesses. Omar has participated in conferences and forums around the globe, including, but not limited to, Smart Cities in New York, Misk Global Forum (KSA), Future Investment Initiative (KSA), Global Entrepreneurship Summit. As a moderator, he regularly interviews global leaders such as Sir Martin Sorrel and Gary Vaynerchuk. Furthermore, he’s been featured in world renowned publications and cable news channels including Forbes, CNN, CNBC Arabia, and Sky New Arabia to name a few. Omar is also uniquely positioned as an ideal gateway for global players into the regional market. Through Arabnet, he has supported over 650 startups; he is also Partner and Board Member at Flat6Labs Beirut, a $20 million accelerator and early stage fund with 33 investments in Lebanese startups.

Ms. Aline Bussmann

Co-Director, Cewas - International Centre for Water Management Services | Netherlands

Aline Bussmann is the Co-Director of Cewas. She is a water and natural resource management specialist, connecting agricultural, sanitation, waste and other environmental sectors with innovation, business development and impact financing. She coordinates and manages all Cewas activities in the Middle East, with a strong focus on environmental business development & ecosystem support programs in the region. Based on her experience in entrepreneurial support, Aline has developed comprehensive sector-specific ecosystem strategies in several MENA countries and initiated partnerships and coordination platforms to enhance innovative finance mechanisms, talent growth and specialized business support. Aline has extensive water, environment, and business -related knowledge and networks, which she draws upon to coach sector-specific businesses and support developing respective markets.

Mr. Omar Itani

Co-Founder and General Manager, FabricAID | Netherlands

Omar Itani’s entrepreneurial journey started at a young age at high school, when he started his student-run waste management company. Itani has won numerous competitions including the prestigious Global Social Venture Competition (GSVC) in 2018, where he developed FabricAID into the scale and shape it occupies today. FabricAID is a social enterprise focused on upcycling and reusing second hand clothes. Itani won the Denis Pietton Award organised by the French Institute in 2018 as the most distinguished, young social entrepreneur from the Arab World. He was also awarded the Young Champion of the Earth for West Asia in 2019 by the United Nations for his work in fabric waste reduction – the highest award given by the UN for individuals under the age of 30. Business savvy and social by nature, Itani has succeeded in growing FabricAID from a seed idea into a full-blown company with more than 120 employees and several millions in revenues within 4 years.

HE. Salma Al Qubaisi

President, Salma Al Qubaisi Holding; Leading Tech Investor | Netherlands

Salma Al Qubaisi is an Emirati Technology women leader, serving the largest government organisation in the oil & gas sector “ADNOC”. She is an innovative and inspiring personality in the field of Information Technology, Artificial Intelligence, and Blockchain. She is instrumental in delivering value to IT professionals with her creative thoughts and leadership skills. Salma Al Qubaisi is a keen investor in Tech Projects, whether it’s a pre-seed, seed, Stage A, or B venture. She is an expert in Tech acquisition including projects based on SaaS, Consumer-based websites, E-Commerce, and Platforms of various types. She has leadership skills, Project Management, Budget Planning and Control, Team Development, Business Plan development, Business Continuity Planning & Disaster Recovery Planning, Strategic Acquisition, and Negotiation.

Mr. Alessandro Villa

Deputy Head of Unit for Middle East, Central Asia (Directorate General for International Partnership - DG INTPA) | Netherlands

Alessandro Villa is an agro-economist by training and works at the European Commission (EC), Directorate General for International Partnership (DG INTPA) in Brussels as Deputy Head of Unit for Middle East, Central Asia and relations with Arab Donors. Previously he worked as Deputy Head of Unit for relations with International Organizations/Financial Institutions and EU Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN in Rome. Before he worked within the Crisis Platform of the EC as planner for crisis responses and as head of section for rural development and food security at the EC Delegations to Uganda and Rwanda. Thanks to his various positions, half of which on the ground, he has developed a wide geographical and thematic experience in particular on crisis response, external relations, development, multilateral and bilateral cooperation, working closely with partner countries and other donors to develop increasingly effective and strategic partnerships.

Mr. Murat Sungur Bursa

President, Sustainability Academy Turkey | Turkiye

Murat Sungur Bursa is the founding director of KOSGEB, Small and Medium Sized Industrial Development and Support Administration, in the Ministry of Industry. He was also the General Director of the EIA and Planning Head Office, then worked as an Undersecretary in the Ministry of Environment. Bursa held senior positions in the Ministry of Industry and Technology, the State Planning Organization and the Ministry of Environment. After retiring from public service, he worked as the implementation director of foreign-funded disaster rehabilitation projects at the Prime Ministry after the Marmara Earthquake. Later, he started to work in the private sector, served as the Chairperson of the Zorlu Energy Group between 2006 and 2012, and served as a member of the World Bank's Disaster Risk Reduction Council during the same period.

Ms. Lola Fernandez Flores

Senior Investment Associate, VentureSouq Dubai | United Arab Emirates

Lola Fernandez Flores is a Senior Investment Associate at VentureSouq (Dubai), where she works under the Conscious Collective thesis, investing in early stage startups globally building ClimateTech companies. Prior to that, Lola was a Summer Analyst at Plug and Play ADGM, ING Bank and KPMG. Lola holds a B.A. from NYU Abu Dhabi and is an Terra.do Fellow.

Mr. Sky Kurtz

Cofounder and Chief Executive Officer, Pure Harvest Smart Farms | United Arab Emirates

Sky Kurtz is the Cofounder and Chief Executive Officer of Pure Harvest Smart Farms and is a pioneer in the Agritech sector. Pure Harvest develops world-leading controlled-environment agriculture technologies to deliver the best quality fresh produce. The Company’s hybrid growing solutions provide precise climate and environmental controls, enabling increased productivity and reduced waste (including water, energy, time, & transport) in the harshest climates on earth, with projects spanning the MEASA region. Prior to founding Pure Harvest, Kurtz Cofounded Vence – a wearable technology solution for animal protein farming that semi-automates rotational grazing, reinventing livestock management. Mr. Kurtz also served as a Senior Executive with Francisco Partners, a $24 billion tech investment firm based in California and an affiliate of Sequoia Capital, a world-leading venture investment firm.

Dr. Yannick Du Pont

Chief Executive Officer, SPARK, Amsterdam | Netherlands

Founder and director of SPARK, Yannick has been working in the field of higher education & economic development in post-conflict countries since 1994. Yannick worked for the Netherlands Minister of Development Cooperation from 1996 to 1997. Later with the Dutch PAX; and the Development think-tank of the Dutch Labor Party, the Evert Vermeer Foundation, Yannick was engaged as researcher for the Netherlands Institute of International Relations “Clingendael” to evaluate the performance of the OSCE Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (2000/2001). SPARK supports growth oriented SMEs and facilitates youth job creation in conflict affected states in primarily East Africa & the Horn, North Africa & the Middle East (Syria crisis, Palestine and Yemen) and Afghanistan. Programmes provide access to higher (vocational) education and jobs to refugees and host communities. Next to his work at Spark, Yannick du Pont also serves on the Board of the Max van der Stoel Foundation (Amsterdam), Advisory Board of the Centre of Theory of Change (New York) and the International Advisory Board of the DIHAD Sustainable Humanitarian Foundation (Dubai).

Mr. Amin Awad

Senior Fellow, Advanced Leadership Initiative, Harvard University and Former UN Crisis Coordinator for Ukraine | Switzerland

2022 Assistant Secretary General and United Nations Crisis Coordinator for Ukraine In light of the escalating crisis in Ukraine (some 14 million people displaced internally and externally): Represented the Secretary – General in Ukraine, led and coordinated UN’s operational response to the evolving situation on the ground. Liaised with government, de facto non-government actors. Coordinated security planning and programming criticality. Served the primary public spokesperson for the UN operations in Ukraine. 2020-2021 Senior Fellow, Advanced Leadership Initiative, Harvard University Amin Awad is a 2020 to 2021 Senior Fellow, Harvard University Advanced Leadership Initiative, engaged on issues related to vital sectors and drivers for economic and social change in fragile states and states in transition. Prior to this, Mr. Awad served in dual capacity as United Nations Regional Refugee Coordinator for the Syria and Iraq Situations, and as Director of the Bureau for the Middle East and North Africa of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Geneva, Switzerland. In this capacity, he led the UN Refugee Agency’s humanitarian response in the Middle East and North Africa. He coordinated over 9,000 staff and 270 organizations, in close partnership with the respective governments, delivering protection and humanitarian aid to some 20 million displaced persons in the region and in the context of some of the most severe displacement crises of the century. Prior to this, he also worked extensively in the Middle East, including in Yemen during the Somali boat people crisis in 1992, and in Iraq and Jordan, during the first Gulf War in 1990-1991. He again worked in the capacity of Regional Coordinator for the Iraq crisis during the second Gulf War in 2003. Mr. Awad was engaged in humanitarian action with the United Nations for over 30 years, where he distinguished himself in some of the most challenging field operations in the Middle East, Asia, Africa, the former Soviet Union and the former Yugoslavia. He held a series of leadership positions in the field and at headquarters during many of the mega-crises of the 1990s, including the collapse of the former Soviet Union and the former Yugoslavia. During the first and second Gulf Wars, he handled the complex political negotiations in cooperation with cross-Atlantic security and military institutions, namely NATO and the OSCE, as well as regional institutions, such as the EU, OIC and the Arab League. Mr. Awad also held Humanitarian Coordinator positions on several occasions, including in Tajikistan, FYR Macedonia, and Sri Lanka. Amin Awad was given the opportunity to contribute to reform and improvement within the United Nations system, as a focal point for UNHCR. Through this role, he pushed for the UN reform agenda including the UN Transformative Humanitarian Agenda, as well as in the areas of policy development, field implementation, security sector, and technical areas such as procurement, supply and oversight. His profound expertise comprises, inter alia, development cooperation, emergency management, refugee assistance, inter-agency coordination, resource mobilization, global supply chain oversight, and political negotiation. A Senior Fellow at Harvard Advanced Leadership Initiative , Awad holds a BA in Political Science and Economics and completed higher studies in International Development Administration.

Ms. Samah Hadid

Head of Advocacy and Communications Norwegian Refugee Council, Middle East Office | Norway

Ms Samah Hadid is the Head of Advocacy and Communications for NRC’s Middle East Office covering responses including Syria, Iraq, Libya, Jordan, Lebanon and Palestine. Hadid has over 10 years’ experience working in the humanitarian and development sector in the Middle East and North Africa. Recently she has worked with Oxfam and Amnesty International heading up advocacy and policy responses across region. She has also advised UN agencies on human rights issues and development policy through her advisory roles with UNESCO , as a member of the UN Experts Meeting Group on Youth and as a fellow with the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. Samah has also written extensively on humanitarian, refugee and social justice issues in the Middle East. She has published regular commentary in the Guardian, CNN, The Independent, Asia Times, and Al Jazeera. Samah has also co-authored several books including - The Future by Us and Future Chasers. She has been named one of the top 100 Leaders of Tomorrow by the St Gallen Institute. Samah holds degrees in international law, economics and social sciences.

Mr. Othman Belbeisi

Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, International Organization for Migration (IOM) | Egypt

Othman has been serving as the Senior Regional Adviser for the Middle East and North Africa within the Executive Office. Othman has been with IOM since 2003 and has previously served as the chief of Mission in Libya. He has also worked for IOM Jordan and as IOM Head of Office in Lebanon. Throughout his nearly two-decade career with IOM, Othman has been deployed to various MENA countries on numerous assignments. He also served as emergency coordinator for the Syrian and Libyan crises. In addition to his current duties as SRA MENA, Othman currently served as Special Coordinator for Syria, leading and coordinating activities undertaken by IOM in Syria and neighboring countries. In addition to this recent role. He has been serving as the IOM Director General's Special Envoy for Iraq since early 2022. Othman holds a master's degree in Business Administration and has completed various national and international professional training and qualifications.

Ms. Hamida Jahamah

Country Director, Plan International Jordan | Jordan

Hamida Jahamah, is a visionary lead in both Humanitarian Response & Development sector, offering more than 10 years of experience in programme and Quality management. As the Country Director for Plan International Jordan, Hamida leads delivering positive and lasting change toward realizing the rights of all children and equality for girls through Plan’s programmatic and influencing priority areas. Previously within Plan International, Hamida was the Head of Technical and Quality Unit where she provided strategic vision to Plan’s work including playing a crucial role in setting the first Country Strategy and shaping the inclusive and sustainable impact particularly in the areas of; Early Childhood Development, Inclusive Education, Child Protection, SRHR, and Economic Empowerment . Previously, with Save the Children International, She led the technical support under the Syrian Emergency Response in relation to protection with a focus on localization, sustainability and community empowerment lens. She also supported the cross-border humanitarian interventions inside Syria and in camps within her journey with Save the Children and UN Women. She has extensive expertise in Safeguarding Policy implementation, Gender Equality, and Adolescent Girls Programming and Child Protection in Emergencies. Hamida is a Chevening Scholar and holds an MA in Applied Linguistics and Human Rights from the University of Essex at the UK. She also has represented Jordan in different international conferences and worked with various national/government entities to shape the humanitarian and development agendas and redefine the focus on children and community’s positive engagement and leadership.

HE. Nawal Al-Hosany

Permanent Representative of the UAE to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) | United Arab Emirates

Her Excellency Dr. Nawal Al-Hosany is the Permanent Representative of the UAE to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) since April 2018. Previously, Dr. Al Hosany held the position of the Executive Director of Sustainability at Masdar, the international renewable energy leader based in Abu Dhabi. She also served as the Director of the Zayed Future Energy Prize (now known as the Zayed sustainability Prize) for eight years between 2011-2018. She is currently a Jury member of the Prize. She was also the Deputy Director General of the Emirates Diplomatic Academy (EDA) between 2017-2018. Apart from her current position and as part of her professional career, Dr. Al-Hosany holds positions across various business sectors, government entities and academic institutions in the UAE and internationally. She is also an active and prominent member of several key international, regional and local climate-focused boards and committees, including the advisory council of National Geographic magazine, the advisory board of the Payne Institute in Colorado School of Mines, the advisory Panel for the Momentum for Change initiative of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). She is a board member of Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), the international organization that works in partnership with the United Nations to accelerate action on Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7), the Paris Climate Agreement, the Emirates Schools Establishment and the UAE Sailing & Rowing Federation. Concurrently, she serves as the Vice Chair for the Global Council of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Dr. Nawal Al Hosany’s numerous professional achievements have been widely acknowledged through prestigious awards. In July 2018, Dr. Al-Hosany was presented the “Doctor of letters Honoris Causa” from Keele University in the UK in recognition for her achievements in the field of sustainability. Dr Al-Hosany also received the “Arab Woman Award” and the “Emirates Business Women Award”. She graduated from the Faculty of Engineering at the UAE University in 1992 and obtained her PhD from Newcastle University in the UK in 2002. Dr. Al-Hosany is also credited as one of the first two Emirati women to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest free-standing mountain in the world at 5,895 metres above sea-level.

Dr. Youssef Nassef

Director, Adaptation Division, UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Bonn | Germany

Youssef Nassef has led the adaptation workstreams under the UNFCCC since their inception. He possesses over 30 years of experience in diplomacy and international environmental policy, and is a seconded diplomat from the Egyptian Foreign Service. While assuming progressively higher levels of leadership at the UNFCCC, he led UNFCCC support for several initiatives on adaptation. These include the inception and support for National Adaptation Programmes of Action and National Adaptation Plans; the Nairobi Work Programme – an international knowledge hub for impacts, vulnerability and adaptation; and the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage. He recently created the Resilience Frontiers initiative which applies foresight for attaining post-2030 resilience. He holds a PhD in International Technology Policy and Management and a MALD in International Environmental Policy from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, as well as a MA in Middle East Studies and a BSc in Computer Science and Physics from the American University in Cairo.

Ms. Barbara Hintermann

Director-General, Terre-des-Hommes, Lausanne | Switzerland

During her 20 years with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), both in the field and at headquarters, Barbara Hintermann has acquired an in-depth knowledge of humanitarian action and its ecosystem. She has worked in various countries in the Middle East, Africa and Latin America and hold several senior leadership positions at the Headquarters in Geneva. Afterwards, for five years, she has headed the Initiatives of Change Switzerland foundation, which is active in reconciliation and promotion of peace. Since January 2020, Barbara Hintermann is the Director General of the Terre des hommes Foundation in Lausanne, which works for the wellbeing of children and the promotion of children's rights.

Ms. Elise d’Epenoux

Senior Director for Public Affairs and International Communications, The SeaCleaners | France

After starting her career as an international reporter for RFI (Radio France Internationale) in Africa (Republic of Benin, Cameroon, Ivory Coast), Elise d’Epenoux became a journalist for AFP (Agence France-Presse) for over 12 years. For AFP, she was a specialist in environmental issues, climate change and plastic pollution. As such, she also extensively covered the COP21 and the Paris Agreement. She then worked for 2 years as a communications officer, editorial manager and writer for the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) where she was notably in charge of the engagement of all stakeholders and the moderation of the sessions and panel discussions for COP23 and COP24. Since June 2021, she has been the Senior Director of Public Affairs, Head of International Communications and Spokesperson for the international NGO SeaCleaners, which fights marine plastic pollution.

Mr. Karim El-Jisr

Chief Sustainability Officer, Diamond Developers, The Sustainable City, Dubai, United Arab Emirates | United Arab Emirates

Karim El-Jisr is an effective and passionate communicator in urban development, smart cities, and climate change. He worked 15 years in conservation management and then shifted his attention to making future cities and communities more livable and climate-proof with a people-centric focus. He is based in The Sustainable City in Dubai, an award-winning master-planned community which has become a living laboratory for future technologies and climate action. Karim graduated from the American University of Beirut in agricultural engineering (1997) and environmental sciences (1999). He completed a course in Business Sustainability Management from the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership. A seasoned speaker at international venues, Karim is fluent in Arabic, English, French, and Danish.

Dr. Carole Nakhle

Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Crystol Energy; Energy Research Fellow, Surrey Energy Economics Centre, UK | United Kingdom

Dr. Carole Nakhle is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Crystol Energy, an advisory, research and training firm, which received several awards including Best Independent Energy Consultancy in the UK in 2018 and again in 2021. Dr Nakhle is an internationally recognised authority on the interplay between economics, energy, governance and geopolitics. With a unique breadth of experience gained from working across a wide spectrum of stakeholders, Dr Nakhle worked with major energy companies at the executive level, governments and policy makers (including Special Parliamentary Advisor in the UK), international organisations (Commonwealth Secretariat, IMF, United Nations and World Bank), as well as academic institutions and specialized think tanks on a global scale. She sits on the Governing Board of the Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI) and is a Member of the Advisory Boards of the Middle East Institute and Payne Institute at the Colorado School of Mines. She is a program advisor to the Washington based International Tax and Investment Centre and Lead Energy Expert with the Geopolitical Intelligence Services. Dr Nakhle has played an integral part in the OECD Policy Dialogue on Natural Resource-based Development and has contributed to the development of the organisation’s Principles for Durable Extractive Contracts. She has lectured at leading academic institutions, including: the Blavatnik School of Government at Oxford University, University of Surrey in the UK, The Graduate Institute in Geneva, Saint Joseph University in Lebanon, The National Defense University in the USA and Nato Strategic Direction South Hub in Italy. Her views are highly regarded. She has published extensively in academic journals, newspapers and magazines and acts as a Reviewer to leading academic journals. She is an avid commentator on energy in the international media and at major conferences and industry gatherings. She has appeared on Al Arabiyya, Al Jazeera, BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC, CNN, Africa News, France 24, and Sky News to name but a few, and was quoted in leading newspapers such as the Financial Times and the Wall Street Journal. She is also the author of two widely acclaimed books: Petroleum Taxation: Sharing the Wealth published in 2008 and re-printed in 2012 and used as primary reference in leading universities and industry training courses; and Out of the Energy Labyrinth (2007), co-authored with Lord David Howell, former Secretary of State for Energy in the UK. Dr Nakhle has worked on projects in many countries, collaborating closely with host governments, ministries, and parliaments, in addition to the private sector and civic society. She has also been on exploratory visits to the Arctic (organised by the Norwegian Government) and the North Sea. She is fluent in Arabic, English and French. In 2017, she gave evidence to the International Relations Committee at the UK Parliament on the transformation of power in the Middle East and implications for UK policy. An avid supporter of gender balance, in 2007, she founded the not-for-profit organisation ‘Access for Women in Energy’, with the aim of promoting the development of women in the energy sector. She has also supported the development of similar initiatives in Ghana, Tunisia and the UAE, where she sits on ADIPEC’s Advisory Board for Inclusion and Diversity. In 2022, Dr Nakhle featured in the ‘Top 22 Outstanding Women CEOs of 2022’ published by the New York based The Women Leaders. A year earlier, she was selected ‘CEO of the Year’ in the UK, by CEO Monthly Magazine. In 2020, she was awarded the prestigious Fellowship of the Energy Institute and featured on the Energy Council’s list of Top Female Executives in the global energy industry. In 2017, she received the Honorary Professional Recognition Award from the Tunisian Minister of Energy, Mines & Renewable Energy.

Ms. Alia Gharaibeh

Regional Director HELP Logistics, Kuhne Foundation, Middle East | Jordan

Alia Gharaibeh holds a Master’s degree in Industrial Engineering and has 15 years of experience in managerial positions in the Middle East. She is the first SCM ITC certified Supply Chain Manager in Jordan; a certification granted by the International Trade Center and the United Nations. As an entrepreneur and business consultant, she advised and trained shipping and retail SME's. For several years, Alia Gharaibeh lectured at the German Jordanian University (GJU) where she mentored the new generation of young logistic professionals on topics of supply chain, logistics, and operations management. In recognition of her leadership, she has fellowships with Arab American Business, John Smith Rule of Law (UK), Common Purpose (UK), and Vital Voices (US). Since 2015, she has led HELP Logistics in the Middle East.

Mr. Simon Missiri

Special Representative IFRC and Director, Global Humanitarian Services and Supply Chain Management (GHS&SCM) | United Arab Emirates

Simon has extensive experience in the humanitarian sector, having managed numerous programmes across the world. In the course of his work with IFRC spanning over 30 years, Simon has facilitated high-level negotiations on humanitarian and international affairs with governments, international organizations, and the corporate sector. Simon held the previous roles of IFRC’s Regional Director for Africa, a.i and Regional Director for Europe both in which he was in charge of policies, programmes, and operations. He was Director for the Asia and Pacific Department, managing some of our largest operations and programmes, including during the 2004 tsunami. At IFRC Headquarters, Simon also led several technical and policy functions including Head of Resource Mobilization and Governance Relations Department, Head of Emergency Response Preparedness Department, and Change Manager for the Secretary General. Other postings in the field included heading the IFRC South Asia Regional Representation and his first assignment as a Finance Administration Delegate in Sudan, which was followed by five years as a Desk Officer for Eastern and Southern Africa in the early 90s. Simon has a Ph.D. in International Economics from the Russian Academy of Science in Moscow. He has an Executive MBA/International Master’s degree in Practicing Management from INSEAD, Fontainebleau, and from McGill University in Montreal. He also holds a Master’s in Economic Geography degree from the Moscow State University.

Mr. Giuseppe Saba

CEO, International Humanitarian City, Dubai | United Arab Emirates

Chief Executive Officer of International Humanitarian City; Founder of UNHRD Network and former Network Coordinator Appointed as CEO of Dubai’s International Humanitarian City in early March 2017, Giuseppe Saba brings more than 36 years of extensive experience in the humanitarian field with the United Nations and international organizations. Saba is a leading logistics and support services expert. He is the founder of the United Nations Humanitarian Response Depot Network (UNHRD); In 2000, he set up under the UN World Food Programme (WFP) the first UNHRD in Brindisi, south-east of Italy, as a consortium of UN Agencies and international humanitarian organizations, including governmental and non-governmental entities. Following the lessons learned from the emergency response to the Indian Ocean Tsunami in 2004, he developed and expanded UNHRD into the current network by opening hubs and negotiating agreements with various hosting governments in Dubai, Malaysia, Ghana, Spain and Panama. As a result of his efforts, UNHRD became one of the largest international humanitarian platforms with more than 90 partners operating in emergency preparedness and response. Saba is an Italian citizen and since his retirement from the UN-WFP in 2013, he has served as a consultant to various humanitarian agencies including the Norwegian Refugee Council and the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management (AHA Centre).

Mr. Mohammed Musabbah Ali Dahi

Director, Charitable Institutions Department, IACAD | United Arab Emirates

Mr. Dahi Currently serving as the Director of the Charitable Organizations Section in the Department since 3 years, and he is assigned to carry out the duties of the Executive Director of the Charitable Activities Sector during his days off. - Head of the Virtual Charity Foundation Project (one of the 10X initiatives). - Member of the Advisory Council for the Development of Charitable Activities (he was the head of the project until its implementation). - Head of the developing programs team for the annual plan of charitable activities. - Head of the World Humanitarian Summit Team. - Head of the Protocol Team at Ramadan in Dubai Initiative. - Deputy Manager of the Committee which is assigned to study the requests for distribution of Zakat and Charity funds. - Head of the Smart Money Box Team. - Deputy Manager of the Community Solidarity Fund Against COVID-19. - Deputy Manager of the Annual Report Initiative for Humanitarian Aid and Social Responsibility in the Emirate of Dubai. - Member of the Crisis and Emergency Management Team. - Member of the Paperless Initiative Team. - Member of the Committee of Budget and Adjusting evaluation Rates. - The owner of the idea and initiative (Meals of Hope) that was launched with Zomato Company. - All operations and services of (charity management) have been transferred to electronic operations and services during his tenure in the department. - He obtained the General Manager’s Medal for Excellence 2020 for the Department’s Internal Excellence Award as the best departmental manager. - The results of the department’s performance indicators have been achieved by 100% for the year 2019 and 2020 during his tenure. - Mr. Dahi holds a Bachelor’s degree in (Security Strategies and International Studies) with a grade of distinction with first class honors 2020. As well he is a member of the “Impactful Leaders Programme” at the Mohammed Bin Rashid Centre for Leadership Development.

HE. Sergio Piazzi

Secretary General, Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM) | United Arab Emirates

Alumnus of the Nunziatella Military High School, he holds an Honors Doctorate Degree in International Political Sciences (Naples), a Master’s degree in Economics and Foreign Trade (Rome), and a Crisis Management Certificate (University of Wisconsin, USA). He attended the Italian Diplomatic Academy. In 2008, he assumed the function of Secretary General of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM) in Geneva to manage the Secretariat and the planning for the Assembly. He has undertaken peace-support initiatives for, among others, Syria, Libya, the Balkans, Israel, Palestine, Iran, Russian Federation, Ukraine and Romania. After serving with the US Department of State, in 1985, he joined the United Nations and coordinated UN operations in Northern Ethiopia until 1988. From 1992 to 1995, he conceived and managed the UN Programme on the use of international Military and Civil Defense Assets in humanitarian operations. In 1996, he was appointed Head of the UN/DHA Regional Desk for Europe and former USSR. From 2001 to 2006, he was in charge of UN/OCHA’s External Affairs. In January 2007, he was appointed UN Senior Adviser on European Affairs. He was, inter-alia, responsible for policy cooperation with the Council of the EU, the European Commission, NATO, the Arab League, G77, G8, OIC, CoE and OSCE, and their Parliamentary Assemblies. During his career, he served also, among others, as UN Representative in Romania (1989-90), UNDRO Delegate in the Persian Gulf Region and Political Assistant to USG Martti Ahtisaari(1990); Policy Adviser to the Special Representative of the UNSG in Iraq (1991-92) and UN Representative to Operation Turquoise in Rwanda (1994). In his PAM’s capacity, in addition to the statutory functions, he regularly conducts, at the request of the EU and the UN, peace-support and confidence-building missions to, among others, Syria, Libya, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Cyprus, Israel and Palestine. In 2014, the UN Security Council Counter Terrorism Committee / CTED, requested his cooperation to launch a major ongoing legislative support programme to adapt and evaluate national legislations of the Euro- Mediterranean and CIS regions, together with the USA and the Russian Federation, to implement relevant UNSC’s resolutions dealing with ISIS and Foreign Terrorist Fighters. Amb. Piazzi is a former staff member of the US State Department and the UN, where he served until 2007. Amb. Piazzi is an Italian national. In 2016, the President of the Republic awarded him with the high-honour national distinction - Commendatore to the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic

HE. Gerhard Putman-Cramer

CEO, DIHAD Sustainable Humanitarian Foundation | Switzerland

Currently: -Ambassador, Permanent Observer of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean to the United Nations and other International Organisations in Geneva; -Chief Executive Officer, Dubai International Humanitarian Aid and Development (DIHAD) Sustainable Humanitarian Foundation; -Member, Dubai Council on the Future of Humanitarian Aid (Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives); Higher Council Member of the International Congress for Health Specialties (ICHS); Former member of the Advisory Committee on International Operations of the Swiss Red Cross and of the Board of the Henri Dunant Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue; former Senior Associate of the Global Humanitarian Forum, Geneva. In his capacity as Permanent Observer of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM) to the United Nations in Geneva, Ambassador Putman-Cramer provides support to a number of initiatives undertaken by – or aimed at – PAM member states. This involves developing and applying various aspects of parliamentary diplomacy, often as inputs complementary to actions conducted under the auspices of the UN. As the CEO of the DIHAD Sustainable Humanitarian Foundation, Amb. Putman-Cramer spearheads a number of the Foundation’s initiatives (including the newly created DIHAD College) and elaborates as well as oversees the Conference Programme of the annual DIHAD event (www.dihad.org). The most recent Conference (14-16 March 2022) had as its theme: “SDG 17, Partnerships and Cooperation for Sustainable Development”. From 1975 until 2009 Amb. Putman-Cramer was with the United Nations, initially with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and subsequently with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (DHA/OCHA). He served in New York (on 3 separate occasions), in Geneva (also on 3 separate occasions) and in a variety of field locations (including 2 years in Malaysia and 3 years in Madagascar). The last 14 years of his UN career saw him in the position of Chief of OCHA’s Emergency Services (concurrently appointed as Deputy Director, OCHA Geneva), during which time he created and developed a number of effective international response mechanisms and instruments (e.g the United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination Team – UNDAC – and the Civil/Military Coordination concept ) while also reinforcing, together with the concerned authorities in disaster-prone countries, essential response capacities at the community, national and regional levels. During this period also, he led a large number of emergency/disaster response missions to, inter alia, Iraq (in the years 1991-94 and in 2003, as Area Coordinator for the Centre Region), the Caucasus, Tajikistan, Pakistan (the 2005 earthquake), Turkey, Mongolia, Thailand and Indonesia (also in the context of the South-East Asia Tsunami). Amb. Putman-Cramer has a ‘’Diplôme Universitaire en Santé Humanitaire’’ from the University Claude-Bernard in Lyon, a Post-Graduate Diploma (Economics, International Relations and International Law) from the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna, a Post-Graduate Diploma (Economic Development) from the Polytechnic of North London and a B.A. (Hons.) in Literature from Bedford College, University of London. Amb. Putman-Cramer is married and has two daughters.