James Bays covers global diplomacy, defense, and development issues for Al Jazeera English. He also serves as a Presenter of Aljazeera’s ‘Inside Story’ and ‘Talk to Aljazeera’ programmes. James, is an award-winning correspondent, who in the last quarter of a century, has travelled to more than 70 counties and has reported from numerous conflict zones, including Iraq, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, Lebanon, Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Panama, the former Soviet Union, Israel and the Palestinian territories. In his previous post at Al Jazeera as a roving correspondent, James frequently reported from Baghdad and Kabul. During the so-called Arab spring, James has covered events in Tunisia, Egypt, Bahrain, Libya, and Syria. In 2016, James was one of the moderators of a debate, broadcast live on Aljazeera, between the candidates to be the new UN Secretary General. Among the global figures he has interviewed: Bill Clinton, Tony Blair, Mahinda Rajapaksa, Yoweri Museveni, Pervez Musharraf, Hamid Karzai, John Kerry, Margaret Thatcher, Sheikh Hasina, Saad Harriri, Antonio Guterres, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and Pedro Sánchez. Before joining Aljazeera, James worked for fifteen years as a Correspondent with Britain’s Independent Television News.

Ferid Belhaj took up the position of World Bank Vice President for Middle East and North Africa on July 1, 2018. Prior to this, he served as the Chief of Staff of the President of the World Bank Group for 15 months. From 2012 to 2017, Mr. Belhaj was World Bank Director for the Middle East, in charge of work programs in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Iraq and Iran, based in Beirut, Lebanon. In this capacity, he led the Bank’s engagement on the Syrian refugee crisis and its impact on the region, including the creation of new financing instruments to help countries hosting forcibly displaced people; the ramping up of the Bank drive towards the reconstruction and recovery of Iraq during and after the ISIS invasion and the scaling up of the Bank's commitments to Lebanon and Jordan. Before taking up his Mashreq assignment, Mr. Belhaj served as World Bank Director for the Pacific Department (2009-2012), where he developed a regional strategy that scaled up Bank engagement in small and fragile states, and tripled lending operations of the International Development Agency, one of the five institutions under the umbrella of the World Bank Group that provides interest-free loans and grants for Low-Income Countries. From 2007 to 2010, Mr. Belhaj was the World Bank’s Special Representative to the United Nations (UN) in New York, where he engaged with various UN agencies on a range of programs, mainly climate change, the Millennium Development Goals, fragile and post-conflict states and the global financial and food crises. He also served as World Bank Country Manager for Morocco (2002-2007), where he developed a new and multifaceted dialogue with one of the best performing Middle-Income countries. A Tunisian national, Mr. Belhaj joined the Bank in 1996 as Senior Counsel in the Legal Department, managing a number of legal and judicial reform projects. He also served as Bank Counsel for countries, including Egypt, Morocco, Iran, Algeria and Thailand. From 1992 to 1996, was the Deputy Chief of Mission of the Tunisian Embassy to the United States of America. Between 1988 and 1992 Mr. Belhaj served as the Legal Adviser to the Permanent Mission of Tunisia to the UN. Mr. Belhaj joined the Tunisian Foreign Service in 1986, and took on the task of Special Assistant to the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Professor Khaled A. Beydoun is a law professor, author and public intellectual. He serves as a law professor at the Arizona State University Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law and a Scholar-in-Residence at the Berkman Klein Center at Harvard University. Professor Beydoun is author of the critically acclaimed book American Islamophobia: Understanding the Roots and Rise of Fear, co-editor of Islamophobia and the Law – published by University of Cambridge Press, and author of The New Crusades: Islamophobia and the Global War on Muslims.Professor Beydoun is a leading scholar on constitutional law, national security, surveillance and civil rights. His academic work has been featured in top academic journals, including the UCLA Law Review, Northwestern Law Review, the California Law Review, the Georgetown Law Journal, and the Harvard Law Review. His insights have been featured in The New York Times, the Washington Post, CNN, the BBC, and ESPN. Professor Beydoun served on the US Commission for Civil Rights for three years and earned a coveted Open Society Foundations Equality Fellowship. He has been named one of the 500 Most Influential Muslims of the World, and he received the Frederick Douglass Educator Award. In 2021, Professor Beydoun was named “Extraordinary Professor” by the University of Western Cape in South Africa, and he joined the Desmond Tutu Centre for Religion and Social Justice as an honorary faculty member that very year.In addition to his academic and popular writing, Professor Beydoun has mounted a broad following on social media. He currently has 300,000 followers on Twitter, 2.8 million followers on Instagram, and 100,000’s thousands more on Facebook, Substack, and other digital platforms. In recent years, he has emerged as a leading voice on Arab, Middle Eastern and Muslim identity on the Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity (DIE) space, holding trainings at Fortune 100 companies including Apple, Meta, Nike, Google, and many more. He is widely regarded as one of the leading experts on identity matters tied to Arab, Middle Eastern, and Muslim identity in the world.Professor Beydoun in a native of Detroit, Michigan, and holds degrees from the University of Michigan, the University of Toronto, UCLA, and Harvard.

Former French Ambassador to China (2011-2014), [first woman to hold the post of French Ambassador to a country which is a permanent member of the Security Council]  to the United Kingdom (2014-2017) and to Russia (2017-2019). Earlier career: Sylvie Bermann joined the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1979. She was appointed vice consul at the French Consulate general in Hong Kong ,1979-1980,  Second Secretary at the French Embassy in China 1980-1982, China desk officer at the French ministry of Foreign affairs 1982-1986, First secretary then second counselor at the French Embassy in USSR 1986-1989, Head of the South -East Asia division at the French ministry of foreign affairs ( organization of the Paris conference on Cambodia), Second Counsellor at the French Permanent Mission to the UN 1992-1996, Head of the Common Foreign and Security Policy Department at the French Foreign Ministry 1996-2002, Ambassador to the Western European Union and to the European Union’s Political and Security Committee in Brussels 2002-2005, Head of the French Foreign Ministry’s directorate for the UN and international organizations, human rights and Francophony 2005 - 2011. July 2021- February 2022 coordinator of the OSCE in the trilateral contact group for the implementation of the Minsk agreements.  Present  Chair of the board of trustees of IHEDN (Institut des Hautes Etudes de la Défense Nationale), Paris, since January 2020.  Member of the board of Institut d’études politiques d’Aix en Provence, Member of the board of Institut Jacques Delors “Notre Europe”   Honours Sylvie Bermann is a commander of the National Order of Merit and a commander of the National Order of the Légion d'Honneur. Elevated to the dignity of Ambassadrice de France in 2019.  Publications: In French : - La Chine en eaux profondes. Stock 2017 - Goodbye Britannia. Stock 2021 - Madame l’ambassadeur. Tallandier 2022 - L’ours et le dragon. Russie-Chine : Histoire d’une amitié sans limites ?, Tallandier, 2025. In English:  - Au revoir Britannia. Luath 2022 

Mr. Beyani was appointed Special Adviser of the Secretary-General for the Prevention of Genocide at the Under- Secretary-General level in August 2025. Holding the post most recently as the Associate Professor of International Law in the Law Department, London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), since 1996, Mr. Beyani brings practical legal, diplomatic and political experience in international law and human rights, including national constitutions and treaty making. He is an international expert on internally-displaced persons, population transfers, mercenaries and private military companies, sexual and reproductive health, human rights-based approach to development and climate change, having served as Legal Adviser to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Office of the High Commissioner on Refugees, the World Health Organization, the United Nations Population Fund, United Nations Development Fund for Women, the European Union, the Commonwealth Secretariat and the African Union. Mr. Beyani served as a Member of the LSE Centre for the Study of Human Rights, including as former Chair of its Advisory Board, and the LSE Centre for Climate Change, as well as Member of the UK Foreign Secretary's Advisory Group on Human Rights (2010-2024), Member of the Expert Advisory Group for the United Nations Secretary General’s High-level Panel on Internal Displacement (2019-2021); United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons (2010-2016); Member of the High-level Panel of Eminent Persons of the African Union on the Formation of an African Union Government (2008-2009); and Member of the joint African Union and European Union ad hoc Expert Group on Universal Jurisdiction (2009). Mr. Beyani is holder of a Doctor of Philosophy, University of Oxford, UK (1992), as well as a Master of Laws and a Bachelor of Laws, University of Zambia (1984, 1982).  A Visiting Professor of International Law at the University of Toronto, Canada and Santa Clara University, US, he also served as Research Fellow at Wolfson college, Oxford, with Lectureships in Law at Exeter and St. Catherine's colleges, Oxford, and a Crown Prince of Jordan Fellow, Queen Elizabeth House, as part of the Refugee Studies Centre, Oxford.  He served as a Lecturer of Law at the University of Zambia.  He is fluent in English and Zambian languages. 

Nehal Bhuta holds the Chair of Public International Law at the University of Edinburgh and is an elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. He previously held the Chair of Public International Law at the European University Institute (EUI) in Florence, where he was also Co-Director of the Institute’s Academy of European Law. He is a member of the editorial boards of the European Journal of International Law, the Journal of International Criminal Justice, Constellations and a founding editor of the interdisciplinary journal Humanity. He is also a series editor of the Oxford University Press (OUP) series in The History and Theory of International Law. Prior to his position at the EUI, he was on the faculty at the New School for Social Research, and at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law. Before entering academia, he worked with Human Rights Watch and the International Center for Transitional Justice. Nehal works on a wide range of doctrinal, historical and theoretical issues in international law, international humanitarian law, international criminal law and human rights law. 

Dr. Rebecca Bill Chavez is President and CEO of the Inter-American Dialogue, the leading U.S. think tank on Latin America and the Caribbean. The Dialogue builds networks of cooperation and action to advance democratic resilience, shared prosperity, social inclusion, and sustainable development across the Western Hemisphere. Dr. Chavez has over three decades of foreign policy and national security experience in academia and government service. She served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Western Hemisphere Affairs during the Obama administration. Before that, she was a tenured professor of political science at the U.S. Naval Academy, specializing in democracy and security issues. She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the Foreign Policy for America Advisory Board, the Leadership Council for Women in National Security, and the Princeton Institute for International and Regional Studies Advisory Council. She is the author of The Rule of Law in Nascent Democracies (Stanford University Press). Her work has appeared in leading scholarly journals, and her commentary has been published in outlets such as The New York Times, Foreign Policy, and the Miami Herald. Raised in Austin, Texas, Dr. Chavez earned her PhD in political science from Stanford University and her BA in public and international affairs from Princeton University. 

H.E. Dr. Khalid Fahad Al-Khater is the Director of the Policy Planning Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, which he was tasked with establishing in 2017. In this role, he has spearheaded key initiatives including the Ministry’s framework for bilateral Strategic Partnerships, regional security initiatives, comprehensive geopolitical and geoeconomic assessments, and forward-looking policy recommendations. From 2014 to 2016, Dr. Al-Khater served as Ambassador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands and Permanent Representative to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). Prior to that he headed Qatar’s climate diplomacy as Chair of the COP18/CMP8 Presidency Negotiation Team, which culminated in the landmark “Doha Climate Gateway.” From 2006-2011 , he worked at the GCC in several leadership positions. After graduating he worked in the Amiri Diwan for 11 years. Since 2023, Dr. Al-Khater is also the President and Founder of New Ground Research, an independent think tank and foundation he established to advance innovative initiatives for a "Shared and Responsible Future." Key initiatives include the Global Initiative to Combat Islamophobia and Antisemitism (GIIA), the Next Middle East Initiative (NMI), and the Mediterranean Intercultural Narrative Initiative (MEDINA). Focusing on International Relations, he holds a Ph.D. from the University of Zurich (2018), M.Sc from SOAS (2001), BA from George Washington University (1992).

Sheikh Nawaf bin Mubarak Al Thani is a Qatari author, writer, and strategist specializing in international affairs, mediation, and small-state diplomacy. He is the Founder and President of the Council on International Mediation (CIM), a platform dedicated to advancing dialogue, de-escalation, and conflict resolution across arenas of global importance. His work focuses on the strategic pressures shaping the Middle East and the role of small states in geopolitics. Al-Thani previously represented the State of Qatar as Defense Attaché to the United States, Canada, and Mexico, engaging in diplomatic, military, and strategic coordination. He has held senior positions in defense intelligence, multinational cooperation, and strategic communication. He served as Director of Defense Communication and became the first Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of Defense and the Qatar Armed Forces, leading national messaging during a period of notable development in Qatar’s defense posture. He is the author of the Arabic-language book قهوة مع قليل من الفاشية (Coffee With a Dash of Fascism) and writes a regular column for Al-Raya newspaper. He lectures on small-state security, mediation, and geopolitics, contributing to policy discussions in academic, diplomatic, and media forums. Al-Thani remains active internationally, bringing experience and insight to debates on peace, security, and statecraft. 

Stefan Blättler has a law degree (summa cum laude) from the University of Neuchâtel (CH), where he also completed his PhD. After a period in the banking industry, he joined the  police force of the canton of Bern and became Commander in 2006. He was then elected Attorney General of the Swiss Confederation by the Swiss Parliament in 2021 and took up  his position in January 2022. Stefan Blättler was also Strategic Director of the Swiss  Disaster Victim Identification Team, Chairman of the  Conference of Cantonal Police Commanders and Chairman of  the Foundation Board of the Swiss Police Institute.  He has also been a lecturer in criminal law at the University of Neuchâtel and is currently lecturing criminal law at the University of Bern. He has published several articles on police issues in Swiss criminal law and criminology journals.   Stefan Blättler was appointed member of the Executive Committee of the International  Association of Prosecutors (IAP) in September 2023. 

Dr. Pascal Boniface is the founding Director of the French Institute for International and Strategic Affairs – IRIS, based in Paris. He is the Director of the quarterly journal “La Revue internationale et stratégique” (International and strategic review) since 1991, and the Editor of “L’Année stratégique” (Strategic Yearbook) since 1985. Dr. Pascal Boniface has published more than eighty books dealing with International Relations, Nuclear Deterrence and Disarmament, European Security, French International Policy, Sport in the International Relations (he developed the concept of Geopolitics of Sport) and also the conflict in the Middle-East and its impact in France. Many of them have become classics, reissued on a regular basis and translated in several languages. Dr. Pascal Boniface publishes numerous articles in international and strategic reviews, is regularly present in the media, national and international, written and audiovisual, and gives many conferences in France and abroad. He’s one of the most followed geopolitical analysts on social networks (Facebook, Twitter and TikTok). He also analyses international issues on his own YouTube channel and weekly podcasts  “Comprendre le monde ” (Understand the world), where he has more than 440 000 followers, as well as on his blogs. He has been made a Chevalier of the French Award for distinguished services in public and private capacity, Officier of the Legion of honour and Chevalier of the Order fo the Arts and the Letters. 

Alex Bruesewitz, a 28-year-old political consultant, served as a top advisor to President Donald J. Trump’s 2024 campaign, where he led an innovative alternative media strategy. He orchestrated high-profile podcast appearances and collaborations with prominent social media influencers. He is also the CEO of X Strategies LLC, a leading America First political strategy firm. He was recently featured as one of TIME’s Next 100 leaders to watch.

Luis Alberto Castiglioni is a Paraguayan statesman who has held some of the highest offices in his country’s public life. He served as Vice President of the Republic of Paraguay from 2003 to 2007, leading official missions abroad and promoting national priorities in foreign policy, education, trade, and sustainable development. Throughout his extensive career, Castiglioni has occupied key positions in the executive branch, including Minister of Foreign Affairs (2018–2019) and Minister of Industry and Commerce (2020–2023), where he advanced Paraguay’s global engagement and economic competitiveness. He has also played an influential role in the legislature, serving in both the Chamber of Deputies (1998–2003) and the Senate (2013–2018; 2019–2020). His parliamentary work included participation in the Latin American Parliament and leadership roles in commissions such as Public Works and Foreign Relations. A prominent figure within the Colorado Party, Castiglioni has held senior party leadership positions, including Political Secretary and Second Vice President of the Governing Board. Born on July 31, 1962, in Itacurubí del Rosario, he is a civil engineer by the Catholic University of Asunción

Michael C. Horowitz is Director of Perry World House and Richard Perry Professor at the University of Pennsylvania and is a Commissioner on the Global Commission on Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence in the Military Domain. He is also Senior Fellow for Technology and Innovation at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR). Prior to returning to the university, he served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Force Development and Emerging Capabilities and Director of the Emerging Capabilities Policy Office. He is the author of The Diffusion of Military Power: Causes and Consequences for International Politics, and the co-author of Why Leaders Fight. He won the Karl Deutsch Award given by the International Studies Association for early career contributions to the fields of international relations and peace research. He has published in a wide array of peer reviewed journals and popular outlets. Professor Horowitz worked for the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy as a CFR International Affairs Fellow. He is a life member at CFR. Professor Horowitz received his Ph.D. in Government from Harvard University and his B.A. in political science from Emory University. 

Dr. Héctor Cárdenas, with over 25 years' experience in public policy, international affairs, and technology strategy, has led or contributed to 80+ projects across the US, Mexico, Canada, Singapore, and Panama. His work has strengthened institutions and improved millions of lives. An expert in public policy analysis and information technology, Dr. Cárdenas focuses on integrity, transparency, and social responsibility to transform government decision-making processes. He helps governments achieve goals by redesigning processes, training teams, and adopting new technologies. Some of his notable achievements include transforming Mexico's consular documentation system, saving $350 million annually for Mexican citizens and reducing wait times drastically. He introduced innovative technologies for regulatory reform and technical standards in Canada and Mexico, benefiting society significantly. He also strengthened justice systems in Mexico and Panama, focusing on criminal, labor, and anti-corruption reforms, which helped remove Panama from the FATF grey list. Additionally, he supported the implementation of Mexico’s labor reform to ensure a functioning labor justice system protecting workers’ rights. Dr. Cárdenas has worked with global institutions such as the World Bank, Inter- American Development Bank, USAID, USDOL, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, the French Development Agency, and various government agencies in Mexico, Canada, and beyond. Dr. Cárdenas has been teaching at the Goldman School of Public Policy at UC Berkeley since 2009 and is the faculty director of the school’s Master in Public Affairs program. In November 2024, Dr. Cárdenas was elected President of the Mexican Council on Foreign Relations. In this role, he aims to expand COMEXI’s influence both nationally and internationally while fostering intergenerational connections and promoting diverse perspectives within the Council. Dr. Cárdenas is the co-founder of The Ergo Group, a consultancy specializing in public policy and information technology strategy. As President and CEO he has lead the firm to deliver innovative projects that combine strategic analysis, project implementation, and advanced technological solutions. He holds a Ph.D. and a Master’s in Public Policy from the Goldman School of Public Policy at the University of California, Berkeley, a Master’s in Public Administration from the École Nationale d’Administration (ENA) in France, and a Bachelor’s in International Relations from El Colegio de México. 

Brahima Sangafowa Coulibaly is vice president and director of the Global Economy and Development program at Brookings and the Edward M. Bernstein Scholar, after previously serving as director of the program’s Africa Growth Initiative. He joined Brookings in April 2017 after nearly a decade and half at the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System where he was most recently chief economist and head of the emerging market and developing economies group. In that capacity, he oversaw the institution’s work on emerging markets and developing economies, provided intellectual leadership on economic and financial issues facing these economies, and often represented the Federal Reserve in international meetings and working groups on relevant topics. Since 2025, he serves on the board of Myriad USA. Coulibaly has also taught economics and international finance at Georgetown University, the Darden Graduate School of Business at the University of Virginia, and the University of Michigan. He has published widely in top-tier academic journals on various topics in international finance, macroeconomics, economic development, monetary economics, and trade. He speaks regularly to the national and international media on these issues. His research has featured in numerous prominent media outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times, Project Syndicate, and the New York Times.Coulibaly holds a doctoral and master’s degree in economics, both from the University of Michigan, and a bachelor’s degree in statistics from the University of California, Berkeley.

Alexander De Croo is the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme. He started his official duties on 2 December 2025. Mr. De Croo served as Prime Minister of Belgium from 2020 to 2025. His tenure included crisis management during the COVID-19 pandemic, the coordination of Belgium’s vaccination rollout and economic recovery strategies, and Belgium's presidency of the Council of the European Union during a period of considerable geopolitical strain. Before becoming Prime Minister, Mr. De Croo served as Deputy Prime Minister from 2012 to 2020, as Minister of Development Cooperation and Digital Agenda from 2014 to 2020 and as Minister of Finance from 2018 to 2020. A steadfast advocate for strong international cooperation, he played a leading role in advancing international development, championed gender equality and digital innovation as drivers of progress, and actively supported humanitarian relief efforts in times of crisis. Before entering public life, Mr. De Croo worked in the private sector as an entrepreneur and strategy advisor. His background as an entrepreneur shaped his focus on results, his pragmatic approach, and his openness to digital innovation. Mr. De Croo holds a Master of Business Administration from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University in Chicago and a degree in business engineering from the Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management. He is fluent in English, French, and Dutch.

On 2 May 2023, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres appointed Edward Chaiban of Lebanon as Assistant Secretary-General to serve as the Deputy Executive Director, Humanitarian Action and Supply Operations, for the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).Previously Mr. Chaiban was the Global Lead Coordinator for COVID-19 Vaccines Delivery Partnership (CoVDP), since February 2022, heading an inter-agency partnership put together by UNICEF, WHO and Gavi.Working for UNICEF, he has been Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, Director of Programmes, Director of Emergency Programmes, Representative in Ethiopia, Sudan and Sri Lanka, Regional Emergency Advisor for the Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Office and Deputy Chief of Operations for the Operation Lifeline Sudan consortium based in Nairobi.Prior to joining UNICEF, Mr. Chaiban was Country Representative for Catholic Relief Services in Haiti, Kenya, Uganda and Sudan. He also worked as a Programme Manager focusing on food security and child survival.Mr. Chaiban is a national of both Lebanon and the United States of America. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology and Political Science from Tufts University and a Master of Arts Degree in Development and Arab Studies from Georgetown University, USA.

Professional Experiences:· Executive Director of the Global Institute for Strategic Research (GISR) under the auspices of Hamad Bin Khalifa University and Qatar Foundation.· Tunisian Ambassador to:· The Russian Federation.· The Republic of Armenia.· The Republic of Belarus.· Turkmenistan.· The Republic of Kazakhstan.· Tunisian Ambassador to France.· General Secretary of the Tunisian Foreign Ministry.· General Director of Consular affairs of the Tunisian Foreign Ministry.· Tunisian General Consul in Marseille.· Director of the general inspection of the Tunisian Foreign Ministry.Achievements:· President of the Cell Crisis and senior negotiator during the hostage-taking of Tunisian diplomats in Libya.· President of the Crisis Cell for monitoring the security and social situation and the prevention of terrorist risks and threats on the borders between Tunisia and Libya.· Guest Speaker for European organizations in charge of migration issues in the Mediterranean Area.· Head of official Tunisian delegations in European countries to discuss migration issues.· National Coordinator of Tunisia in the Euro-Mediterranean process IMMIGRATION 3.· National Coordinator of Tunisia in the RABAT process regarding the Euro-African Dialogue on immigration and development.· Co-chair of the monitoring and coordination committee of the Swiss Confederation's support program for democratic transition and human rights in Tunisia.

Mohammed D. Chekaoui (PhD) is scholar and practitioner of global conflict resolution. He is Professor of Conflict Resolution and Diplomacy and Head of the PhD program at Joaan Bin Jassim Academy for Defence Studies. He has taught at George Mason University’s Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution in Washington and served on the United Nations Panel of Experts at the Department of Political Affairs in New York. He has lectured at the United Nations, the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, the French Senate in Paris, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg in Germany, Johns Hopkins University, and other American, European, and Arab universities and think tanks.His published books include “What is Enlightenment? Continuity or Rupture in the Wake of the Arab Uprisings” and “Civilians and Modern War: Armed Conflict and the Ideology of War” (co-edit). His book chapters include “A New Global Covenant? Great Power Conflicts and Conflict Resolution” in The post-Corona Era in Conflict Resolution after the Pandemic Building Peace, Pursuing Justice, and “The Legitimacy Puzzle in the UN Mediation of the Libyan Conflict”, in Conflict Mediation in the Arab World. His has also published studies more than fifty papers, including “Small States’ Pursuit of Impact at the UN Security Council: The Case of Tunisia 2020–2021” in International Peacekeeping journal. He is working on two forthcoming books: “The Plight of Individualism: A Critique of Arab Structuralism” (Spring 2026) and “Global Conflictology: A Balancing Perspective from the Middle East” (Early summer 2026).

Fadi Chehadé is a globally respected entrepreneur, investor, and technology executive  dedicated to building organizations that strengthen markets and societies. He is the CoFounder and Managing Partner of Ethos Capital, a private equity firm focused on long-term investments in digital infrastructure and information services. Under his leadership, Ethos Capital is recognized for its disciplined approach to value creation rooted in stewardship, innovation, and integrity. Before founding Ethos Capital, Mr. Chehadé served as President and CEO of ICANN, where he led the historic transition of Internet oversight from the U.S. government to the international multistakeholder community—ensuring the Internet remained a global, open resource. A serial entrepreneur, he founded and exited multiple technology companies acquired by  IBM, Oracle, and Ingram Micro. He also served as Senior Advisor to the Executive Chairman  of the World Economic Forum and was appointed by the UN Secretary-General to the HighLevel Panel on Digital Cooperation, promoting inclusive and responsible technology  governance. As Chairman of the PAX Foundation, Mr. Chehadé advances economic revival and crossborder collaboration across the Levant. He holds an M.S. in Engineering Management from Stanford University and a B.S. in Computer Science from New York University, and was named a Great Immigrant by the Carnegie Corporation of New York. 

Mr Jagan Chapagain is the Chief Executive Officer and Secretary General of the IFRC. He was appointed by the IFRC Governing Board in February 2020 and is based in Geneva, Switzerland. Mr Chapagain has extensive experience in leading effective and principled humanitarian response around the world and has dedicated his life to helping empower local communities. He brings decades of experience in building and leading inclusive teams and forging trustful partnerships to address global challenges, ranging from climate to health, and from migration to protection, gender, and inclusion. He has also championed policies and programmes that promote youth engagement and volunteering, and that strengthen localization and accountability in humanitarian action. He began his humanitarian journey as a youth volunteer with the Nepal Red Cross and has extensive experience in, and broad knowledge of, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. Prior to being appointed Secretary General, he served as Under Secretary General for Programmes and Operations at the IFRC. He was also previously Chief of Staff and Regional Director for Asia Pacific, where he provided leadership during largescale humanitarian crises and built resilient communities alongside National Societies and other partners. An engineer by training, Mr Chapagain holds certificates in Leadership and Turnaround Management, Emerging Social Sector Leadership, and High Performance Boards. A national of Nepal, he is fluent in Nepalese, English and Hindi and has basic knowledge of Urdu and Russian

Rümeysa Çodar is an accomplished journalist, professional MC, and panel moderator with years of international broadcasting experience at TRT World.She has hosted and moderated dozens of high-profile programmes, summits, and forums, delivering seamlessly in both English and Turkish. Her portfolio spans international conferences, presidential and ministerial panels, corporate gatherings, and digital launches,  where she is recognised for her confident stage presence and ability to engage diverse audiences.As a TV news correspondent, she has covered major global and regional stories, including the Gaza war, Türkiye’s major earthquake, Russia- Ukraine conflict, Black Sea Grain Deal, Pope Turkiye Visit, key diplomatic developments, and Turkish foreign policy. Her field reporting, live coverage, and storytelling highlight her ability to bring clarity to fast-moving events.

Mr. Ibrahima Cheikh Diong is the inaugural Executive Director of the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD). With over 30 years of experience in climate action, finance, and multilateral diplomacy, Mr. Diong brings a unique blend of expertise to ensure equitable assistance for communities on the frontlines of the climate crisis. His distinguished career spans public service in Senegal, executive roles in public and private finance, and leadership positions in international organizations such as the World Bank and IFC. Prior to joining FRLD, he served as United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and Director General of the African Risk Capacity (ARC) Group, where he led institutional reforms and expanded disaster risk financing across Africa. His previous roles include Special Representative for ESG matters at BADEA, senior positions at the World Bank Group, Minister and Special Adviser to the President of Senegal, and leadership roles in energy, international cooperation, and aviation. He also held positions as Senior Africa Banker at BNP Paribas and Africa Director at Booz Allen & Hamilton. Fluent in English, French, and Mandarin Chinese, Mr. Diong holds a Master’s degree in International Affairs with a specialization in international finance and environmental policy from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA). 

Dr. Nouzha Chekrouni is a Senior Fellow at the Policy Center for the New South. She has extensive experience in academia, diplomacy and political leadership.  She has served as His Majesty’s Ambassador to Canada (2009-2016), and Dean of the Council of Arab League Ambassadors to Canada (2015-2016). Dr. Chekrouni was Minister for the Moroccan Community Living Abroad (2002-2007), a Member of Parliament (2002-2007), and the Minister for Women and Social Issues (1998-2002). She holds a Bachelor Degree from the Philological Faculty at the University of Fez, a Post-Graduate Diploma and a PhD in Linguistics from the Université Sorbonne Nouvelle in Paris. Dr. Chekrouni has also completed a Certificate in Ethics and International Relations at Harvard University. She is a 2016 Senior Fellow in Advanced Leadership at Harvard University and has taught linguistics at the Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences at the University of Meknes. Since 2020, Dr. Chekrouni is a member of the Arab and Moroccan Network of Women Mediators for the UN Agenda "Women, Peace and Security". 

Steve Clemons is editor at large of The National Interest and has served as Editor at Large of The Hill, The Atlantic and Semafor as well as in senior editorial roles at National Journal and Quartz. He is also editor and publisher of the popular political blog, The Washington Note, and host of "The Bottom Line" which airs on the global network of Al Jazeera English. Clemons also Co-Chairs the US Initiative of GLOBSEC, one of Europe's most dynamic and important national and global security think tanks. Clemons serves on the Advisory Board of the Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience at Washington College, and is Chairman & CEO of Widehall LLC, a strategic communications and events firm that translates ideas into high-traction impact. Clemons previously served as Executive Vice President of the Economic Strategy Institute as well as of the New America Foundation, and was founding Executive Director of the Nixon Center, later renamed the Center for the National Interest. He was also Senior Economic and International Affairs Advisor to US Senator Jeff Bingaman; and with Chalmers Johnson founded the Japan Policy Research Institute.   

Victoria Coates is the Vice President of the Davis Institute for National Security at The Heritage Foundation. Coates’ personal scholarship focuses on building global energy security, countering predatory Chinese activity, expanding the historic Abraham Accords, and establishing a U.S.-led Middle East strategic alliance. Coates routinely appears on TV and radio and her writing has appeared in outlets including Bloomberg, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Times. Coates previously served as the Deputy National Security Advisor for the Middle East and North Africa on the National Security Council staff during President Trump's first term. Coates holds a B.A. from Trinity College, a M.A. from Williams College, and a Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania, all in art history. 

Jared Cohen is President of Global Affairs at Goldman Sachs. He serves on the Management Committee and the Firmwide Client Franchise Committee. Mr. Cohen joined Goldman Sachs in 2022 as a partner. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Cohen was Chief Executive Officer of Jigsaw, which he founded at Alphabet Inc. in 2016. In this role, his work focused on applying frontier technology to the greatest challenges facing humanity. Prior to that, Mr. Cohen was Google’s first Director of Ideas and Chief Advisor to Google’s Chief Executive Officer and Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt. From 2006 to 2010, he served as a member of the Secretary of State’s Policy Planning Staff and as a close advisor to both Condoleezza Rice and Hillary Clinton. Mr. Cohen is a New York Times bestselling author of six books, including One Hundred Days of Silence: America and the Rwanda Genocide, Children of Jihad, The New Digital Age: Transforming Nations, Business, and our Lives, which he co-authored with Eric Schmidt, Accidental Presidents: Eight Men Who Changed America, Life After Power: Seven Presidents and their Search for Purpose Beyond the White House, and the children’s book Speaking of America: United States Presidents and Words that Changed History. Mr. Cohen is a member of and an adjunct senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, an adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security and also a member of the Trilateral Commission. 

Doctor, graduate in political science and anthropology, engaged for nearly twenty years in humanitarian and medico-social action in France and internationally. Between 2000 and 2008, he held several positions at Doctors Without Borders France at headquarters and in the field, in Eritrea, Liberia, Afghanistan, Niger and Iran. He became Director of Operations for Doctors of the World France from 2009 until 2018. In 2020, he became involved in the fight against the Covid-19 epidemic as medical coordinator of a Covid center for people in precarious situations run by the Aurore association and the City of Paris, as well as a Covid vaccination center.  In 2023, he became Vice President and then President of Doctors of the World on June 8, 2024. Alongside his community involvement, he conducts research on humanitarian issues and health, social, and environmental inequalities. He teaches at the Toulouse Institute of Political Studies and the University of Paris I La Sorbonne. He is also an associate researcher at IRIS (Institute of International and Strategic Relations) and ICM (Institute of Convergences Migrations). He is the author of documentary films and several books, the latest of which is “Geopolitics of Humanitarian Action” published by Eyrolles in 2025. 

Deputy Director of the Geopolitics Program at the Brazilian Center for International Relations (CEBRI). PhD in International Relations from the Center for Research and Documentation of Contemporary History of Brazil (CPDOC/FGV), with a doctoral exchange at UC San Diego’s Latin American Studies program and at the Center for Brazilian Studies at San Diego State University (CAPES Print scholarship recipient). Master’s in International Relations from UERJ (CAPES fellow) and a postgraduate specialization in International Business Management (IBMEC-RJ). Member of the CNPq Research Group on Brazilian Foreign Policy and South America. Advisory Board member of the Instituto Rio 21 think tank and author of the Political Dialogue platform. Over ten years of experience in international relations, working in think tanks, foreign foundations, and multilateral organizations. Specialist in Public Speaking and Argumentation Under Pressure, trained at Clube da Fala. 

Wael Al-Dahdouh is a Palestinian journalist and Al Jazeera’s bureau chief in Gaza. He is an veteran award-winning journalist, and has more than 27 years of experience covering Gaza and occupied Palestine.  Numerous members of Wael’s family were targeted and killed by the Israeli occupation forces during the genocide in Gaza. His wife, eight-month-old infant grandson, seven-year-old daughter, 16-year-old son, and nine other nephews and relatives were killed in an Israeli airstrike on the Nuseirat refugee camp on 25 October 2023, which also injured many of his other relatives. On 15 December 2023, while covering near Haifa School in Khan Younis with cameraman Samer Abu Daqqa, they were hit by an Israeli missile, sustaining serious injuries and killing Abu Daqqa. His eldest son, journalist Hamza Al-Dahdouh, was also killed by an Israeli airstrike in Khan Younis on 7 January 2024. He became known as “the Mountain of Gaza” and “the Jacob of his era” for his patience, resilience, and determination to continue reporting despite these tragedies. Moreover, many institutions and newspapers named him Person of the Year during 2023–2024. On 11 November 2024, the National Press Club in Washington D.C. awarded him as the 2024 John Aubuchon International Press Freedom Award, the highest honor from National Press Club. He also received awards from Reporters Without Borders, Amnesty International, and numerous other prestigious recognitions in countries around the world. 

Galip Dalay is non-resident Senior Fellow at the Middle East Council on Global Affairs, Senior Consulting Fellow at Chatham House, and Co-Director of Programme on Global Orders at Oxford University Dalay was previously Mercator-IPC Senior Fellow at Istanbul Policy Center and at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP), and Richard von Weizsäcker Fellow at Robert Bosch Academy in Berlin – He was also a CATS Fellow at SWP. Dalay was also a visiting fellow at the Institute for Human Science (IWM) in Vienna as part of its Eurasia in Global Dialogues program and a non-resident fellow at Brookings Doha Center. His work focuses on Turkey, the Eastern Mediterranean, the Middle East, Russian foreign policy, middle powers in a changing global order, the history and politics of Turkey-West and of Turkey-Russia relations, and the history and politics of post-imperial and post-colonial forms of internationalism. His work has appeared on Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, Project Syndicate, CNN, TIME Magazine, the National Interest, Newsweek, Le Monde, Internationale Politik, DW Opinion, Open Democracy, Al Jazeera, and Middle East Eye. 

Aliko Dangote is a Nigerian businessman and philanthropist who is the Founder and CEO of the Dangote Group, first founded in 1977 as a  company that traded in commodities and building supplies, it has today grown into one of Africa’s largest diversified conglomerates, of which Dangote Cement alone has a market capitalization of $16.1 billion. He was most recently appointed to the World Bank’s Private Sector Investment Lab. An initiative geared towards job creation in developing countries. One of his most ambitious projects is the construction of a 650,000 barrels per day refinery at the cost of $20bn. The refinery which is the largest single train refinery in the world is also the largest in Africa and 7th largest in the world, and became operational in 2023, in an effort to solve Africa’s energy security issues, while also serving the global market. Aliko is also the founder of Aliko Dangote Foundation, incorporated in 1994, is the largest private Foundation in sub-Saharan Africa with an endowment of US$1.25 billion, and is focused on addressing childhood malnutrition, access to healthcare especially amongst the vulnerable people, and education inequality. The Foundation has contributed extensively towards the eradication of polio, malaria and was a leading actor in the fight against COVID-19 in Nigeria and the continent. Aliko seats on the Board of several international organizations. 

Gustavo is a Senior Researcher on African Governance and Diplomacy at the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) and works as an international relations consultant. He has held roles at various think tanks, universities, and international organisations, including the Institute for Global African Affairs at the University of Johannesburg, the UN Peacebuilding Fund in Guinea-Bissau, and the Institute for Security Studies. He also regularly teaches at top Global South universities like the University of the Witwatersrand and the Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro, covering topics from transnational issues to international mediation. His work covers topics such as the influence of multilateral forums like BRICS and the UN Security Council, global economic architecture and the geopolitical dynamics that shape the global order. He follows closely the implementation of South African foreign policy, being regularly invited to share his views with both local and international media, including Al Jazeera, the South China Morning Post, the BBC, Newzroom Afrika and SABC. He holds a bachelor’s degree in international relations from the University of Brasília and a Master’s degree in African Studies from the University of Oxford. Gustavo is currently pursuing doctoral research in International Relations at the University of Witwatersrand, South Africa, exploring how Brazil and South Africa navigate the evolving global order.

Rosemary A. DiCarlo of the United States assumed the post of Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs on 1 May 2018. She was appointed by Secretary-General António Guterres and succeeded Mr. Jeffrey Feltman. As Under-Secretary-General and head of the Department of Political Affairs (DPPA), Ms. DiCarlo advises the Secretary-General on peace and security issues globally, while overseeing "good offices" initiatives and field-based political missions carrying out peacemaking, preventive diplomacy and peace-building activities in Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Central and Southeast Asia and the Americas. She also oversees the United Nations electoral assistance provided to dozens of its member states each year. Ms. DiCarlo brings more than 35 years of experience in public service and academia. During her distinguished career with the United States Department of State, she served, among other functions, as Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations with the rank and status of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary. In that capacity, she represented the United States at the Security Council, General Assembly and other United Nations bodies. Prior assignments included Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, and Director for United Nations Affairs at the National Security Council in Washington, D.C. Her overseas tours took her to the United States Embassies in Moscow and Oslo. She also served as President of the National Committee on American Foreign Policy from August 2015 to May 2018 and was concurrently appointed a Senior Fellow and Lecturer at Yale University’s Jackson Institute for Global Affairs. Ms. DiCarlo graduated from Brown University with a B.A., M.A. and Ph.D. in comparative literature, as well as Slavic languages and literature. She speaks French and Russian. Born in Providence, Rhode Island, Ms. DiCarlo is married.

Lisa Doughten was appointed OCHA’s Director of Financing and Partnerships Division in November 2022.  Doughten brings over 30 years’ experience in humanitarian and development settings, with a strong commitment to creating impact through strategic partnerships and financing solutions, managing international operations and gender equality. Between 2008 to 2022, she served in various leadership roles in OCHA, UNICEF and UN Women building partnerships, financial support and advocacy for people affected by crises and poverty.  Prior to that, she focused on field operations through her work with the World Food Programme (2004-2008) and the US Agency for International Development’s Disaster Assistance Response Team in the former Yugoslavia (1993-1998).  She also worked for a private sector consulting firm, during which she designed and implemented disaster preparedness and response plans in Africa, Latin America and the Middle East. Doughten, an American national, has an MSc in International Relations from the London School of Economics and a BA in International Studies from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill.

Janine di Giovanni is widely regarded as one of the most accomplished foreign correspondents of her generation. She is the Executive Director and CEO of The Reckoning Project, a transnational war crimes documentation initiative she co-founded in 2022. The project trains and supports local investigators in Ukraine, Syria, Gaza, and Darfur to collect legally admissible testimony and evidence of atrocity crimes, and builds legal cases in court, working with international justice mechanisms. A Senior Fellow at Yale University’s Jackson School of Global Affairs, she was previously a Visiting Fellow at Yale Law School’s Schell Center for Human Rights and a Fellow at Johns Hopkins University’s Stavros Niarchos Agora Institute. She is a Guggenheim Fellow, an Edward R. Murrow Press Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, and recipient of the American Academy of Arts and Letters’ Blake-Dodd Prize for Nonfiction. Over three decades, di Giovanni has reported from nearly every major conflict of our time—Sarajevo, Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Libya, South Sudan, Yemen, and Ukraine—publishing with The New York Times, Vanity Fair, Newsweek, and The Guardian. She is the author of eight books, including The Morning They Came for Us and The Vanishing, both critically acclaimed for their unflinching humanity. 

Luigi Di Maio has been the European Union Special Representative for the Gulf region since June 2023. He previously served as Italy’s Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2019 to 2022 and as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Development, Labour, and Social Policies from 2018 to 2019. In 2013, he was Vice President of the Italian Chamber of Deputies.  Throughout the years he chaired many international high level meetings, including three consecutive editions of the MED Dialogue conference, G20 foreign and trade ministerial meetings, the 2021 Ministerial Meeting of the International Anti-Daesh Coalition, or the first ever Mediterranean Ministerial Dialogue on the Food Security Crisis in June 2022. 

Tim Eicke is a practising barrister at Essex Court Chambers in London. From September 2016 to September 2025, he was the Judge elected in respect of the United Kingdom on the European Court of Human Rights, where he was involved in a significant number of important cases. A dual-British/German national, he studied law at the Universities of Passau and Dundee. He was called to the bar in 1993 and was appointed a Queen's Counsel (now King’s Counsel) in 2011. While in practice at the Bar, he regularly argued cases in the UK Supreme Court, the Court of Justice of the European Union and the European Court of Human Rights and acted for claimants, governments and interveners. In 2017, he received an Honorary doctorate from the University of Dundee. Between October 2020 and October 2024, he was Vice-President of Section and Duty Judge responsible for interim measures (rule 39) applications. His expertise covers Public International Law, Human rights law, the law of the European Union as well as public and constitutional law. 

Fatima el Issawi is a Professor in Journalism and Media Studies at the University of Essex. Her research focuses on the intersection between journalistic practices, political transformation, and conflicts in transitional contexts to democracy in the Middle East and North Africa. She led several externally funded research projects, including most recently the research project “Media and Transitions to Democracy: Journalistic Practices in Communicating Conflicts- the Arab Spring” funded by the British Academy Sustainable Development Programme and looking at journalistic practices and identities in communicating political conflicts in post uprisings in North Africa. Fatima’s expertise crosses journalism, public communication, policy and academia. She has over fifteen years of experience as international correspondent in conflict zones in the MENA. She is the author of “Arab National Media and Political Change” (Palgrave Macmillan, 2016) and the co-editor of “The Unfinished Arab Spring: Micro-Dynamics of Revolts between Change and Continuity” (Gingko, 2020). 

Khalid Omer Yousif is a Sudanese political leader and long-time advocate for democracy, civic rights, and peace. His public life began in 1999 as a student activist resisting the Inqaz regime. In 2003, he was elected to the University of Khartoum Student Union—the first opposition-led union since 1990. In 2007, at the age of 28, he became Secretary-General of the Sudanese Congress Party, the youngest person to hold the position, helping expand the party’s national reach and strengthen the pro-democracy movement. Khalid was a founding leader of the Forces of Freedom and Change (FFC), the coalition that guided the 2018–2019 revolution and negotiated the civilian-military transitional arrangements. He later served as Minister of Cabinet Affairs in the government of Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, coordinating ministerial work during a period of reform, institutional rebuilding, and progress toward democratic transition. His tenure ended with the October 25, 2021 coup, after which he was detained and later resumed his efforts to restore civilian rule. Since the war’s outbreak in April 2023, Khalid has been a leading civilian voice for peace. Khalid Elamin Khalid Omer Yousif is a Sudanese political leader and long-time advocate for democracy, civic rights, and peace. His public life began in 1999 as a student activist resisting the Inqaz regime. In 2003, he was elected to the University of Khartoum Student Union—the first opposition-led union since 1990. In 2007, at the age of 28, he became Secretary-General of the Sudanese Congress Party, the youngest person to hold the position, helping expand the party’s national reach and strengthen the pro-democracy movement. Khalid was a founding leader of the Forces of Freedom and Change (FFC), the coalition that guided the 2018–2019 revolution and negotiated the civilian-military transitional arrangements. He later served as Minister of Cabinet Affairs in the government of Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, coordinating ministerial work during a period of reform, institutional rebuilding, and progress toward democratic transition. His tenure ended with the October 25, 2021 coup, after which he was detained and later resumed his efforts to restore civilian rule. Since the war’s outbreak in April 2023, Khalid has been a leading civilian voice for peace. He co-founded Tagadom and later Somoud, platforms uniting democratic forces to end the conflict and chart a pathway toward a civilian, peaceful Sudan. Through his writing, public advocacy, and political engagement, he continues to advance the cause of democracy, peace, and rejection of extremism in all its forms.

Dr Hassan Elbahtimy is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of War Studies at King's College London and co-chair of the Beyond Nuclear Deterrence Working Group at Harvard University. He has written widely on the global politics of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons, with his work appearing in  Foreign Affairs, Journal of Strategic Studies, Security Studies, the Nonproliferation Review, and the Journal of Peace and Nuclear Disarmament. His research was awarded the McElveny Grand Prize by the Nonproliferation Review.Dr. Elbahtimy previously served as Director of the Centre for Science and Security Studies. He is also a former trustee and executive committee member of the British International Studies Association (BISA), where he twice chaired the committee for the Ling Outstanding First Book Prize. 

Ambassador Tim Enderlin took office as head of the Peace and Human Rights Division (PHRD) of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) on 19 August 2024. He studied law in  Zurich. Since he joined the diplomatic service in 1997, his positions have included Deputy Head of Human Resources of the FDFA, Diplomatic Advisor to the President of the Swiss  Confederation, Regional Director of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation in  Laos, and Ambassador of Switzerland to Myanmar. Tim Enderlin is married and has two children.

Rachel Ellehuus became Director-General of RUSI on 6 January 2025. Rachel joined RUSI after serving nearly three years at the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) as the United States Secretary of Defense Representative in Europe and Defense Advisor to the United States’ Mission to NATO. Prior to that, she was Deputy Director of the Europe and Eurasia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, DC and a Senior Advisor at WestExec Advisors. Previously, she served in multiple roles in the U.S. Department of Defense to include Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for European and NATO Policy. Her time in the Pentagon also included an exchange to the UK Ministry of Defence's Strategy Unit, where she worked on the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review. Rachel has numerous publications to her name, most recently Europe’s High-End Military Challenges (2022) and The Challenge of Political Will in Europe (2022). She holds a BA from Colgate University and a MA from the College of Europe. 

Dr. Dalia Fahmy is Director of International Relations and Diplomacy and Associate Professor of Political Science at Long Island University 

Ghida Fakhry is Host and Executive Producer of TRT World's flagship global affairs programme 

Dr. Myriam Francois is an award wining London based journalist, filmmaker, and broadcaster recognized for her insightful work on politics, culture, and social justice. She hosts the widely viewed YouTube series The Tea with Myriam Francois, where she explores major global issues such as Middle East geopolitics, AI’s societal implications, identity, and ethical debates. Holding a DPhil from Oxford University on Islamic political movements, she served as the former presenter of The Stream on Al Jazeera English and created and presented the award-winning series France in Focus (2023). Her documentaries, including the acclaimed Finding Alaa—which received a Special Mention at Doc Edge, Best Film at Flicker Fest, and was longlisted for both BAFTA and Academy Awards—have aired on BBC and Channel 4. She's a former columnist at The New Statesman, Guardian, TIME and more. As founder and CEO of MPWR Productions Ltd., a UK-based media production company, she has built a platform for innovative storytelling. Her achievements include the Woman in Media Award at the Muslim Women Awards 2021, recognition as one of the UK’s 100 Most Influential Muslim Women by The Muslim 500, a nomination for Best Investigative Documentary at the Asian Media Awards for The Truth About Muslim Marriage (Channel 4, 2017), and a nomination for the Sandford St Martin Religious Programming Award for A Deadly Warning: Srebrenica Revisited (BBC One, 2015).Fluent in multiple languages, Myriam is a sought-after media commentator and panelist at international forums discussing feminism, decolonization, and interfaith dialogue. 

On 3rd October 2025, Vanessa Frazier of Malta was appointed Under-Secretary-General and Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict.Ms. Frazier, who recently served as Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Malta to the United Nations (UN) in New York, USA (2020-2025), brings multilateral diplomatic expertise, crisis management skills, consensus building and dedication to child protection, with ability to navigate complex global negotiations and broker agreements among diverse stakeholders, having played a pivotal role as Chair of the UN Security Council (UNSC) Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict. She presided over the UNSC in February 2023 and April 2024, and as UNSC Facilitator of the Iran/Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action agreement and Chair of the 1267 Sanctions Committee on Al Qaeda/Daesh, advanced human rights, child protection, and humanitarian language. As an advocate for the E10 group of elected UNSC members, she was instrumental in shaping international responses to pressing crises, ensuring that the voices of the most vulnerable, especially children, remained at the forefront with a focus on the protection of children affected by conflict. She also served as Vice President of the 74th UN General Assembly and Chair of the Second Committee (Economic and Financial), leading the first and only all-women bureau in UN history.During her diplomatic career, Ms. Frazier served as Malta’s ambassador to NATO from 2011-2013, adding the role of ambassador to Belgium and Luxembourg in 2012; as Malta’s Ambassador to Rome, Italy (2013-2019); as Acting Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Malta (2012-2013); as Ambassador for Migration, Office of the Prime Minister, Malta (2012-2016); and as Ambassador of Malta to Brussels, Belgium (2012-2013).Ms. Frazier holds a Doctorate Honoris Causa in Humane Letters, Luther College, Decorah, Iowa, USA (2018-2019); a Master’s in Diplomatic Studies with a major in International Law, University of Malta (1993-1995). She is fluent in Maltese, English, and Italian.

Fred Fleitz is Co-President of the Washington Global Strategy Group. He is also a Vice Chair with the America First Policy Institute. Fleitz served as National Security Council Chief of Staff in the Trump Administration. Prior to that, Fleitz held national security positions for 25 years with the Central Intelligence Agency, the Defense Intelligence Agency, the Department of State, and the House Intelligence Committee staff. Fleitz has done many media interviews on international security issues, including Fox News, BBC, BBC Persian, Al Arabiya, Sky News Arabia, Alhurra, Al Sharq, and others. He is a Newsmax TV contributor. Fleitz’s articles and op-eds have appeared in many publications, including the Wall Street Journal. Fleitz is the author or editor of eight books on international relations. His eighth book, “An America First Approach to U.S. National Security,” was published in 2024. Fleitz’s next book, “North Korea, Nuclear Brinkmanship, and the Oval Office,” will be published by Texas A&M Press in spring 2026. Texas A&M Press will publish a similar book by Fleitz on Iran’s nuclear program in 2027. Fleitz holds a BA in Politics from St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia and an MA in Political Economy from Fordham University in New York. 

Denise Garcia is a full Professor at Northeastern University in Boston since 2006, appointed at the College of Social Sciences and Humanities, and a founding faculty member of its Experiential Robotics Institute. Before joining Northeastern, she worked for three years at the World Peace Foundation at the Belfer Center for Science at Harvard University. She is formerly a member of the International Panel for the Regulation of Autonomous Weapons (2017-2022), of the Research Board of the Toda Peace Institute (Tokyo, 2020-2023), and of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Global Initiative on Ethics of Autonomous and Intelligent Systems (Autonomous Weapons Group). She is currently a member of the Institute for Economics and Peace (Sydney) and an advisor to the Global Challenges Foundation (Stockholm). She was the funded Nobel Peace Institute Fellow in Oslo in 2017. Garcia collaborates closely with projects in her home country, Brazil. A multiple teaching award-winner, her recent publications appeared in the American Academy for Arts and Sciences (Science and Diplomacy Journal), Nature, Foreign Affairs, International Relations, and other top journals. Her latest book is The AI Military Race: Common Good Governance in the Age of Artificial Intelligence (Oxford University Press, 2023), in which she examines the complexities entailed in creating a global framework to govern the military use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) by proposing inclusive and humane ways to forge cooperation. 

Jennifer Gavito is a national security and strategic communications executive who served over 25 years at the intersection of international and economic policy on the staff of the National Security Council, as a senior advisor to the Department of Defense, and in senior diplomatic positions in Washington and throughout the Middle East and Europe. She is, since 2024, a Senior Advisor with the Cohen Group where she co-leads the firm’s Middle East practice and is concurrently a Non-Resident Senior Fellow with the Atlantic Council's Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative. She has extensive experience in crisis management and in developing and executing multi-million-dollar budgets and programs. Gavito is a frequent contributor to U.S. and international media.Throughout her career in the U.S. Foreign Service (retiring in 2024 with the rank of Minister‐Counselor), Gavito held a number of senior roles including Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, and as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Iraq, Iran, Press and Public Diplomacy.  In 2024, she was nominated by President Biden to serve as US Ambassador to Libya.  Other overseas assignments include London, Jerusalem, Dubai, and Beirut, as well as US Consul General to Bavaria and as Foreign Policy Advisor to the U.S. Africa Command.  She also served previously on the staff of the White House's National Security Council as Director for Syria, Lebanon, and North Africa. Gavito's current focus lies in leveraging her deep regional knowledge to advise companies, stakeholders, and the media on Middle East security, geopolitics, and strategic communications.

Mr. Hans Grundberg of Sweden has been appointed as UN Special Envoy for Yemen since 5 September 2021. Mr. Grundberg succeeds Martin Griffiths (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) Serving since 2019 as Ambassador of the European Union to Yemen, Mr. Grundberg brings over 20 years of experience in international affairs, with focus on the Middle East. He previously headed the Gulf Division at the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Stockholm. Mr. Grundberg is a career diplomat, having served with both Swedish and European Union missions abroad, with postings in Cairo and Jerusalem, as well as Brussels, where he chaired the Middle East/Gulf Working Group of the European Council during the 2009 Swedish presidency of the European Union. He holds a Master of Science in business and economics from the Stockholm School of Economics.

Victor GAO is Chair Professor of Soochow University; Chairman of China Energy Security Institute; Vice President of the Center for China and Globalization; a member of the International Advisory Board of the Energy Intelligence Group in London; a member of the Editorial Board of the OPEC Energy Review; and a member of the Board of Directors of several listed companies in Hong Kong.    Victor Gao has extensive experience in government, diplomacy, securities regulation, legal, investment banking, PE, corporate management and media.  Victor was Deng Xiaoping’s English interpreter in the 1980s.  Victor served as the China Policy Advisor at the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission in 1999 and 2000.  Victor’s prior investment banking experience included senior positions with Morgan Stanley (Vice President of Morgan Stanley Asia, in the Merger, Acquisition and Restructuring Department), CICC (General Manager of the Investment Banking Department, Head of M&A Practice, and Head of CICC Hong Kong Investment Banking Department) and Daiwa Securities (Co-Chairman of China, Executive Vice President and Managing Director).  Victor’s corporate management experience included senior positions with CNOOC Limited as its Senior Vice President, General Counsel, Company Secretary, Member of the Investment Committee, and Director of CNOOC International and with major Hong Kong companies including PCCW and Henderson Land Group. 

Armen Grigoryan has been the Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia since 2018. He graduated from the Department of International Relations at Yerevan State University in 2007. He later studied at the American University of Armenia in the Department of Political Science and International Affairs from 2009 to 2011. Armen Grigoryan has held various key roles: he worked at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia as an acting minister; he was the coordinator of the working group for the creation of the Armenia's Foreign Intelligence Service, which was established in October 2023; he was a project coordinator for electoral programs at Transparency International Anti-Corruption Center; and he served as a visiting lecturer at the Armenian-Russian (Slavonic) University. He has published articles on democratisation, civil society development, and geopolitical issues, and has researched Armenia's political elite. In addition, he is the author of the scientific study: ''Political Elite in Post-Soviet Armenia: Characteristics and Ways of Formation''. 

Ambassador Thomas Greminger is the Director of the Geneva Center for Security Policy since 1 May 2021. Previously, he served as Secretary General of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe from July 2017 until July 2020. Ambassador Greminger served as Deputy Director General of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation at the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs from 2015 to 2017 and as the Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the OSCE, the United Nations and the International Organizations in Vienna from 2010 to 2015. From 2004 to 2010, he served as Head of the Human Security Division of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. Ambassador Greminger also served as Deputy Head of the Human Security Division and as Country Director at the Swiss Embassy in Maputo, Mozambique. From 1994 to 1998, he served in different posts in the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, including Head of the Policy and Research Unit. 

Adel Abdel Ghafar is a senior fellow and director of the Foreign Policy program at the Middle East Council on Global Affairs. He was previously a nonresident fellow at the Brookings Institution’s Foreign Policy Program and a fellow at the Brookings Doha Center, where he was also acting director of research. Abdel Ghafar is an adjunct professor at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service in Qatar. He specializes in foreign policy and political economy of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Abdel Ghafar is the author and editor of several volumes and reports including:  The Middle East: Revolution or Reform?  (Melbourne University Press, 2014); Egyptians in Revolt: The Political Economy of Labor and Student Mobilizations 1919-2011 (Routledge, 2017); A Stable Egypt for a Stable Region (European Parliament, 2018);  The European Union and North Africa: Prospects and Challenges (Brookings Institution Press, 2019); China and North Africa: Between Economics, Politics and Security (I.B. Tauris, 2021); The European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council: Towards a New Path (Palgrave Macmillan, 2021); and The Gulf Cooperation Council at Forty: Risk and Reward in a Changing World (Brookings Press, 2022) and Asia in the GCC: A New Strategic Partner? (ME Council, 2023). Abdel Ghafar has prepared studies and consulted for various international and intergovernmental organizations and government agencies including the European Union; the U.K. Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office; and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. He has a background in international banking and finance and has worked for several financial institutions including HSBC and Citigroup. 

 Eleni Giokos is a CNN anchor and correspondent, based in the United Arab Emirates. A regular anchor across CNN’s news and business programming, she also presents the network’s Connecting Africa and Marketplace Middle East feature shows. Born in Greece and raised in South Africa, she has more than 15 years’ experience working across TV, digital, radio and print media. One of CNN’s most versatile correspondents, she joined the network in 2015. Giokos has interviewed countless heads of state over the years, including Rwandan President Paul Kagame, former South African President Jacob Zuma, and former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, to name just a few. Her list of business and economic interviews includes the likes of International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, ECB president Christine Lagarde, and Virgin founder Richard Branson; as well as a ‘who’s who?’ of Africa’s most prominent business leaders, including Akinwumi Adesina, Aliko Dangote, Tony Elumelu, Patrice Motsepe, and the late Bob Collymore. At CNN she has reported on the ground across Africa, from Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt and Zimbabwe, to Rwanda, Senegal, Ghana, Lesotho and more. She has highlighted the growing links between Africa and Asia, reporting from South Korea and Kazakhstan, traveled to the United States to report from Washington DC, and anchored shows from the network’s London, New York and Atlanta hubs. Giokos has an Honors Degree in Journalism and Media Studies from the University of Witwatersrand, and was made an International Monetary Fund Fellow in 2014. 

Francesca Giovannini is the Executive Director of the Harvard Belfer Center’s Initiative on Managing the Atom (MTA) and the Director of the Research Network on Rethinking Nuclear Deterrence. Established jointly by the Belfer Center and the MacArthur Foundation, the network has brought together over 80 scholars across 15 universities to advance innovative thinking on nuclear policy and strategic stability. Dr. Giovannini is also the lead faculty member of the Harvard Nuclear Deterrence Certificate, a professional program designed for senior military leaders across commands involved in the U.S. nuclear mission. She has also designed and currently teaches a course on the Geopolitics of Technology, tailored for leaders in emerging technologies and national security officers. Previously, Dr. Giovannini served in several international organizations. Most recently, she was appointed Senior Policy Adviser to the Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), where she worked to promote the Treaty’s ratification among key nuclear weapon states, including the United States, China, and Pakistan. She holds a Doctorate from the University of Oxford and two master’s degrees from the University of California, Berkeley. Dr. Giovannini has published widely in Nature, The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, Arms Control Today, The National Interest, The Hill, and The Washington Post, among others. She is a regular commentator in European and American media on U.S. Foreign Policy, nuclear weapons risks, emerging technologies, and European security issues. 

In September 2021, Rebeca Grynspan was appointed Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), becoming the first woman to lead the organization in its 60-year history.  Rebeca Grynspan, an economist and former Vice President of Costa Rica, is an experienced leader of international institutions with a substantive track record in government, UN diplomacy, economic policy and multilateral cooperation at the global level.  Prior to joining the United Nations, she was Vice President of Costa Rica and held cabinet positions as Minister of Housing, Minister Coordinator of Economic and Social Affairs and Deputy Finance Minister. Previously, she served as Secretary-General of the Ibero-American Conference (2014–2021), chairing regional summits of Heads of State and Government; United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Associate Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP); and UNDP Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean. She was a member of the UN Commission for the Reconstruction of Haiti, representing the UN Secretary-General. At UNCTAD, Grynspan has been at the centre of critical negotiations to address global trade and development challenges. She played a decisive role in the Istanbul Agreements, including the successful Black Sea Initiative brokered between the UN, Türkiye, the Russian Federation and Ukraine, which enabled the safe export of over 33 million tons of grains, lowered global food prices by 23% and prevented millions from falling into food insecurity. She also led the UN Global Crisis Response Group on food, energy and finance, and has represented the UN in G20 summits. Her leadership has been recognized widely. In 2024, she received the Doha Negotiator of the Year Award for spearheading UN efforts to restore Black Sea trade routes. In 2025, Spain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation awarded her the inaugural Isabel Oyarzábal Women in Multilateralism International Prize for her contribution to multilateralism.  Ms. Grynspan holds degrees in economics from the University of Costa Rica and the University of Sussex, and honorary doctorates from several European universities. 

Karim Haggag is the Director of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) a leading global independent institute dedicated to research into conflict, armaments, arms control and disarmament. He is a former career Egyptian diplomat with over 25 years of service in Egypt’s diplomatic corps serving in numerous positions focusing Middle East regional security, arms control and non-proliferation, and Arab-Israeli diplomacy. Prior to joining SIPRI he was a Professor of Practice at the School of Global Affairs and Public Policy (GAPP) and Director of the Global Affairs program at the American University in Cairo, and a visiting professor at the Near East and South Asia Center for Strategic Studies National Defense University in Washington DC (2011-2013). He is currently a non-resident fellow at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School of Government. He is a graduate of The American University in Cairo, and has earned an MA in war studies from King’s College in London. 

Yalda Hakim is an award-winning international correspondent and documentary filmmaker. She anchors The World with Yalda Hakim, airing weeknights at 9 pm on Sky News. She also co-hosts the podcast The World with Richard Engel and Yalda Hakim, where the two share in-depth reporting and analysis on global affairs. In 2021, Yalda joined BBC World News as a presenter and correspondent, delivering hard-hitting journalism on many global issues. She was named Chief Presenter and hosted the flagship programme “Daily Global with Yalda Hakim” on BBC News until July 2023. Yalda has spent nearly two decades reporting from the frontlines of the world’s most consequential and dangerous stories. In November 2023, she went live from Jerusalem to present a special programme for Sky News on the Israel-Hamas war. Over the past year, Yalda has reported extensively from Ukraine covering the ongoing war. Her recent interview with President Zelensky made global headlines when he acknowledged the counter-offensive has been slower than expected. Yalda led BBC World's coverage of the collapse of the Afghan government in 2021, making world headlines after receiving a surprise call from a Taliban spokesperson and conducting an impromptu live-to-air interview on her mobile's loudspeaker as they marched on Kabul. Since then, Yalda has travelled extensively across Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, producing a series of documentaries on the impact of the Taliban takeover on the lives of ordinary Afghans, especially the women and girls of the country. In recognition of her work, Yalda was invited to address the United Nations Security Council in 2022 on the situation in Afghanistan. Yalda also regularly conducts high profile interviews with some of the world’s most important leaders and public figures. She conducted the first international interview with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Among Yalda’s other recent interviews include former US President Bill Clinton, Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo, Afghanistan’s President Ashraf Ghani, Hollywood actor and director Angelina Jolie and Prince Albert of Monaco. Yalda was born in Kabul, Afghanistan and came as a refugee to Australia, where she grew up. She is the founder of the Yalda Hakim Foundation, which has established scholarships for disadvantaged Afghan girls to receive an education. As well as English, Yalda speaks five other languages including Farsi, Urdu, Hindi, Pashto, and Dari.

Cameron Hudson is an analyst and consultant on African security, governance and geo-political risk. He is currently the Managing Partner at 54 Advisors, a political and investment risk advisory. He has worked as a Senior Associate in the Africa Center at the Center for Strategic and International Studies as well as Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Africa Center where his research focused on the U.S.-Africa policy, great power competition, and security and governance trends in Africa. Previously, Cameron served as the executive director of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum’s Center for the Prevention of Genocide. Cameron previously had a distinguished career in the U.S. Government, serving as chief of staff to successive Presidential Special Envoys for Sudan.  He served during the Bush Administration as the Director for African Affairs on the staff of the National Security Council at the White House. He started his government career as an intelligence analyst in the Africa Directorate at the Central Intelligence Agency. His commentary on Africa and geopolitical issues has been featured by, among other outlets, the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Foreign Policy, the Financial Times, National Public Radio, BBC and Al Jazeera. He is a graduate of the University of Virginia and the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University.

Hikmet Hajiyev is the Assistant to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan – Head of the Department of Foreign Policy Affairs of the Presidential Administration of the Republic of Azerbaijan since November 2019. Previously he served at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan and started his diplomatic career from the arms-control and political-military divisions of MFA. In 2003 he was posted to the Mission of Azerbaijan to NATO. Between 2008 and 2009 he served at the UN and International Security Departments of the Foreign Ministry. In 2009 he was posted to the Embassy of Azerbaijan to the State of Kuwait and in 2010 he was transferred to the Embassy of Azerbaijan to Egypt. He was the Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 2014 until 2018. In November of 2018 he was appointed as the Head of the Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration and served in this capacity until being promoted to the position of Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan. Hikmet Hajiyev graduated with bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Baku State University, Department of International Relations and International Law. Then he continued his education at the NATO Defence College and Université Libre de Bruxelles.

Malek Hammoud is Zain Group’s Chief Investment and Digital Transformation Officer, joining the organization in early 2017. Over the past few years, as part of the Zain Group Executive Management team, Malek has been playing an instrumental role in the digital transformation of Zain across all its markets primarily focused on seeking new digital related revenue streams for the company. Additionally, he is passionately involved in the regional digital start-up ecosystem from advising aspiring entrepreneurs, investing in start-ups as well as many dealings with leading regional and international VC funds. Before joining Zain Group, Malek had a long career at the National Bank of Kuwait as Head of the Domestic Multi-National Corporations. Malek has a vast experience in capital markets, corporate banking, investment banking and in the digital arena. He completed his Bachelor in Electrical Engineering at the American University of Beirut, is a Chartered Financial Analyst (“CFA”) and earned an MBA from the London Business School.

David Hearst is co-founder and editor-in-chief of Middle East Eye. He is a commentator and speaker on the region and analyst on Saudi Arabia. He was the Guardian's foreign leader writer, and was correspondent in Russia, Europe, and Belfast. He joined the Guardian from The Scotsman, where he was education correspondent.

Carlos Arturo Hoyos is the current Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs. He served as Vice Minister of Foreign Trade from July 1, 2024, to April 21, 2025, when he was appointed as Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, under the administration of President José Raúl Mulino. He is a prominent Panamanian lawyer with a strong academic background and extensive professional experience in international law. He holds a bachelor’s degree in law and political science (Summa Cum Laude) from the Universidad Santa María la Antigua, and later obtained a Master of Jurisprudence (Magister Juris) from the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, specializing in International Economic Law, Contract Law, Private International Law, and Comparative and European Corporate Law in 2012, through the prestigious Chevening Scholarship, a meritsbased scholarship awarded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (now Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office) of the British government. His professional career includes prominent roles in various institutions and renowned law firms. In 2015 he founded the firm Hoyos & Asociados, focusing on corporate law, real estate, civil law, administrative law, and international arbitration. In 2020, Hoyos & Asociados merged with Veló Legal, a leading legal-tech focused firm in Panama, where he is partner. His solid academic background, coupled with diverse and substantial work experience in both the public and private sectors, positions him as a leader in his field, with a special focus on international transactions, corporate law, and complex litigation

Hemin Hawrami (born 23 March 1976 in Halabja, Kurdistan Region, Iraq) is a Kurdish politician, writer, and academic. A senior figure in the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), he has served as Deputy Speaker of the Kurdistan Parliament since February 2019. He was elected as an MP in the 2018 parliamentary elections, where he led the KDP’s candidate list.Hawrami has held several influential political roles. He headed the KDP’s Foreign Relations Office from 2011 to 2017 and subsequently served as Senior Adviser to President Masoud Barzani on political and international affairs (2017–2019). He was closely involved in planning and advocating for the 2017 Kurdistan independence referendum. Throughout his career, he has represented the Kurdistan Region internationally, speaking at major institutions such as the Middle East Institute, the Washington Institute, and the University of Oxford, and participating in events like the Munich Security Conference.In his early years, Hawrami joined the KDP Students Union at age 13 and later worked as a journalist and translator for KDP-affiliated media. He became the youngest member elected to the KDP Leadership Council in 2010.Hawrami holds a BA in English Literature, an MA in International Relations, and a PhD in International Relations focused on EU foreign policy in the Middle East. He has authored eight books on Kurdish politics.

Caroline Holt is the Director, Disasters, Climate and Crises at the IFRC leading the IFRC’s global teams in Operations, Climate, Migration and Socio-Economic Empowerment.  Caroline has worked in the humanitarian sector for 20 years, mostly with the Red Cross Red Crescent network, in a variety of HQ and field-based roles across technical and leadership positions.  She is also a qualified accountant and holds a Masters degree in International Development. 

Paul-Simon Handy is the Institute for Security Studies’ Regional Director for East Africa and its Representative to the African Union in Addis Ababa. Since 2007 he has held various research and management positions in the Pretoria Headquarters and the Dakar Regional Office, including Deputy Executive Director and Research Director. He has served for 5 years in the United Nations Panel of Experts on the Central African Republic. Paul-Simon has extensive experience in policy analysis, African and global multilateralism, political strategy development and conflict prevention.Paul-Simon studied (Political Science and International Relations) at the universities of Yaoundé, Berlin and Leipzig where he obtained his PhD. He is visiting lecturer at Rhodes University in Grahamstown (South Africa) and has previously held teaching positions at the Free University of Berlin before joining the Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (German Institute for International and Security Affairs) in Berlin as Associate Fellow. He has widely published on issues related to the African Peace and Security Architecture, governance, state fragility as well as the Africa policy of the EU, France and Germany.Paul-Simon is the Deputy Chair of Nett4Peace, the network of think tanks initiated by the African Union Commission for Political affairs, Peace and Security. He is on the editorial board of the African Security Review and sits in the board of various organisations. He has advised various governments, regional and international organisations on a wide range of African and global security matters, including strategy development.Fluent in French, English and German. Paul-Simon has lived and worked in 4 out of Africa’s 5 regions.

Dr. Henry Huiyao Wang is Founder and President of Center for China and Globalization (CCG), a leading non-governmental think tank ranked among top 100 think tanks in the world and only think tank in China granted with United Nations Special Consultative Status. In addition, he is the former Counselor to China State Council appointed by Chinese premier; Vice Chairman of China Public Relations Association; Director of Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs and China National Committee for Pacific Economic Cooperation; a Steering Committee Member of Paris Peace Forum (PPF), an Advisory Board Member of Duke Kunshan University and Richard Ivey Business School. Dr. Wang was a former official at the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation (now Ministry of Commerce) responsible for Chinese companies going global. Afterwards he served as Chief Trade Representative for Canadian Quebec Government Office in Hong Kong and Greater China, Managing Director of Asia at SNC-Lavalin, and Vice President at AMEC-AGRA in Canada and then Advisory Board Member of UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM). Dr. Wang pursued his PhD studies at University of Western Ontario and University of Manchester. He was a Senior Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School and a Visiting Fellow of Brookings Institute. As a thought leader on global relations, international business, global governance, talent migration, global investment and trade, etc., he has published over 100 English and Chinese works and is the chief editor of China and Globalization book series by Springer Nature. 

Maiko Ichihara is a Professor in the Graduate School of Law and the School of International and Public Policy at Hitotsubashi University, Japan. She is also the director of the Democracy Advocates at Risk program, chairs the steering committee of the East Asia Democracy Forum, and serves on the steering committees of Japan Factcheck Center, International Coalition for Democratic Renewal, and Indo-Pacific Platform for Universal Values. Throughout her career, she has undertaken research on international relations, democracy support, Japanese foreign policy, and influence operations. She earned her Ph.D. in political science from George Washington University. Her publications include: “How to Tackle Disinformation in Japan: Lessons from the Russia-Ukraine war,” in Jessica Brandt, et al., Impact of Disinformation on Democracy in Asia (Brookings Institution, 2022); “Japanese Democracy After Shinzo Abe,” Journal of Democracy 32-1 (2021); and Japan's International Democracy Assistance as Soft Power: Neoclassical Realist Analysis (New York and London: Routledge, 2017). 

Ambassador Ischinger has been the Chairman of the Munich Security Conference (MSC) since 2008 and is the President of the Munich Security Conference Foundation Council.Ischinger began his diplomatic career in 1973 in the cabinet of the UN Secretary General in New York. In 1975, he joined the Federal Republic of Germany’s Foreign Service. In 1993, he was named Director of Policy Planning and in 1995 Political Director. In this role, Ischinger led the German delegations during the Bosnian Peace negotiations in Dayton/Ohio in 1995, the negotiations on the NATO-Russia Founding Act in 1996/1997, and during the Kosovo crisis in 1998/99. In 1998, he was appointed State Secretary of the German Federal Foreign Oficce. From 2001 to 2006, he served as German Ambassador in Washington, DC, and, from 2006 to 2008, in London. Wolfgang Ischinger is a Member of the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) and serves on several nonprofit boards, including the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP), the American Academy Berlin, the Centre for European Reform (CER), the Yalta European Strategy Group (YES), the Atlantic Council, Washington D.C., and the Geneva School of Diplomacy, Geneva. He also serves on the Global Advisory Boards of Kekst CNC, and of Palo Alto Networks.Wolfgang Ischinger studied law at the universities of Bonn and Geneva and obtained his law degree in 1972. He earned an MA from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and did postgraduate work at Harvard Law School. He has received honorary doctorates from universities in Geneva, Pristna and Yerevan.

Qutaiba Idlbi is the Director of American Affairs at the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, where he oversees Syria’s engagement with the United States, Canada, and Latin America. In this role, he shapes diplomatic strategy, builds dialogue with international partners, and advances Syria’s post-conflict reintegration and recovery agenda. Prior to assuming his current position, Idlbi was a senior fellow with the Atlantic Council’s Middle East programs, leading the Council’s work on Syria. He authored widely cited analyses on the country’s transition, U.S. sanctions policy, and pathways for reintegration into the international community. His research and policy work have informed both governments and multilateral organizations on strategies to support stability and inclusive governance in Syria. Idlbi’s professional background spans research, advocacy, and program management. He served as the Syria expert at the International Center for Transitional Justice, analyzing the framework of political imprisonment, and as a nonresident scholar at the Middle East Institute, where he studied sanctions and forced displacement. He also contributed to field research on refugee entrepreneurship in Turkey and Jordan with Building Markets, assessed security dynamics with the Global Policy Institute, and developed governance and security assessments for U.S. government agencies through Caerus Associates. Beyond research, Idlbi co-founded and served as vice president of People Demand Change, implementing civil society and peacebuilding programs across Syria, Yemen, and Lebanon. He is a 2013 Leaders for Democracy fellow with the U.S. Department of State’s Middle East Partnership Initiative and a 2016 Peace Exchange fellow. 

Ismatulla Irgashev was born on September 24, 1960 in Tashkent city He graduated from Tashkent State University in the specialty of “Orientalist-philologist, teacher of Dari and English language” (1982). 1982-1984 – military service in the army (Afghanistan) 1984-1992 – teacher of foreign language in the military school 1992-1994 – 2nd secretary of the Treaty – Law Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan 1994-1994 – Chief of sector – Deputy Head of the section of Asia and Africa of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan 1994-1996 – Head of the State Protocol Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan 1996-1999 – Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan 1999-2003 – Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Uzbekistan to China, concurrently Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Mongolia and PDRK with residence in Beijing 2003-2004 – Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Special Representative of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Afghanistan 2004-2012 – Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Uzbekistan to Azerbaijan 2012-2017 – Councilor of the President of the International Kurash Association, Adviser to the President of the international company Since May 24, 2017 – Special Representative of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Afghanistan. I.Irgashev has the rank of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary He speaks Persian, English and Turkish. Married and has five children.

Mr. Oh Young-jin is President and Publisher of The Korea Times.Born in 1964, Oh graduated from Inchang High School, and then Sungkyunkwan University as a chemical engineering major. He joined The Korea Times in 1988, the same year Seoul hosted the Summer Olympic Games.He worked at various desks covering politics, business and the city both as reporter and desk editor before becoming managing editor in 2012.He served as managing editor through 2015, before becoming a chief editorial writer, and then digital managing editor and director of content and digitization.Oh was also the foreign press secretary for Cheong Wa Dae (the Blue House) during the President Roh Moo-hyun administration.

He was born on 12 January 1982 in Belgrade.He graduated in international relations from the Faculty of Political Sciences of the University of Belgrade. He received his master's degree at Charles University in Prague in the field of international politics and security, attended master's studies in the same field at the University College London (UCL - SSEES) and also studied at Yale University.From 2012 to 2014, at the General Secretariat of the President of the Republic, he was on the President's Foreign Policy Team.From 2014 to 2020, he served in the Office for Kosovo and Metohija of the Government of the Republic of Serbia as Advisor to the Director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija and then as Deputy Director.He was a member of the Negotiating Team of the Government of the Republic of Serbia for the Accession of Serbia to the EU.At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he served as Assistant Minister for Bilateral Cooperation, as Ambassador and then as Consul General at the Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia in Chicago from April 2021.In July 2024, he was appointed State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.He is a member of MENSA Serbia.He speaks English and has a command of Czech and Russian.Married.

Khalid Al-Jaber is the Executive Director of the Middle East Council on Global Affairs. He is a distinguished scholar and practitioner specializing in political communication and Middle East and North Africa (MENA) affairs. Al Jaber has held prominent leadership positions, including Director of Al-Sharq Studies & Research Center and Editor-in-Chief of The Peninsula, Qatar’s leading English-language daily newspaper. He also served as an Assistant Professor of Political Communication in the Gulf Studies Program at Qatar University, where he made significant contributions to the academic and policy discourse on regional and international issues. Al-Jaber’s research focuses on the Gulf and MENA region, with expertise spanning political science, public diplomacy, international communications, and international relations. He is the author and editor of several books and numerous scholarly articles. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Leicester, a Master’s degree from the University of West Florida, and postgraduate diplomas from Fordham University, Stanford University, and Georgetown University. 

Fernando Jorge Cardoso has been a visiting full professor at the Autonomous University of Lisbon since 2021. He is co-founder and executive director of the Club of Lisbon. He holds a degree in Economics (1976) from Eduardo Mondlane University (UEM) in Maputo, a PhD in Economics (1991) with Public Habilitations (2006) from the Higher Institute for Economics and Management, ISEG at the University of Lisbon. He has over a hundred publications on development, geopolitics, geoeconomics and security, with a focus on Africa. In Mozambique, he was Dean of the School of Economics at UEM (1978-1983), advisor to the Minister of Planning (1977-1983) and Executive President of the sugar company Maragra (1983-1985). In Portugal, he has held research, training and management positions at several universities (1991-2021), coordinated the Africa area of the Institute for Strategic and International Studies, IEEI (1991-2012) and the Strategic and Development Studies area of the NGDO Marquês de Valle Flôr Institute (2012-2021). As a consultant, he has prepared and evaluated cooperation programmes in Mozambique, Angola, Cape Verde and the PALOP group. He is a regular contributor to the National Defence Institute and the Institute of Military Studies.