Lama Fakih is Human Rights Watch’s Middle East and North Africa director and the director of the Beirut office. Prior to her current role, Fakih was the Director of the Crisis and Conflict Division from October 2019 through February 2022 and the Deputy Director of the Middle East and North Africa Division from September 2016 through September 2019. She was a Senior Crisis Advisor in Amnesty International’s Crisis Response Program and was Human Rights Watch’s Syria and Lebanon researcher from 2011 to 2015. Previously, she worked as the Gender, Human Rights, and Counter-Terrorism Fellow at the Center for Human Rights and Global Justice (CHRGJ) at the New York University School of Law. In 2008 to 2009 she was the Center Fellow at CHRGJ, where she worked on a range of human rights issues including corporate accountability and human rights and counter-terrorism. Additionally, Fakih was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship to conduct research on the implementation of Islamic law in the Egyptian National Courts. Fakih holds a bachelor’s degree from Sarah Lawrence College and a law degree from New York University.

Ghida Fakhry is an international broadcast journalist with 25 years experience working for major global tv networks, including Aljazeera English. Based in London, she is currently Host and Executive Producer for TRT World’s flagship global affairs program Bigger than Five.  As a former Lead Anchor for the Americas broadcast center of AJE, Ghida reported extensively from the United Nations headquarters in New York, conducting sit-down interviews with heads of state and government.   Over the last two decades, Ghida has moderated high-level panels with world leaders and Nobel laureates, as well as leading economists, politicians, human rights activists and artists for the World Economic Forum;  UN and its Specialized Agencies; the World Bank; the Nobel Center; the World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates; the Doha Forum and other leading international non-governmental organizations.   She is a highly-experienced moderator who combines a deep understanding of global issues with sharp interviewing skills and an ability to steer dynamic and engaging discussions around some of the world’s most pressing and challenging issues.   Ghida holds a Masters degree in International Relations and a Masters degree in Middle Eastern Studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. She is fluent in English, French and Arabic. 

Yassine Fall is Senegal Minister of African Integration and Foreign Affairs.  She is an economist with over 30years of experience in public policy, multilateral governance and management in Africa and around the world. She was educated in Senegal, France, and the United States. She completed fifteen years in the United Nations system in New York finishing her tenure as Director of Economic Division. As Director of UN INSTRAW she restored and transformed the agency. She served as Senior Economic Advisor at the UN Millennium and made a significant contribution to the 2005 UN sponsored book, “The End of Poverty”. Prior to joining the UN, she worked for 13 years in international consulting focusing on a range of issues including macroeconomic policy, poverty eradication, environmental management, land tenure, and emergency humanitarian operations.Through her knowledge of the rural world, she led missions on rural forestry programs, agricultural, pastoraland land tenure issues. She developed socio-economic initiatives for the most marginalized communities inEastern Senegal and the River Valley, in Casamance and for fishermen of the coast of Senegal. She carried out programatic work in remote localities in Guinea Bissau; in conflict zones among the Touareg communities refugees in Mauritania, during post-genocide in Rwanda, in refugees and humanitarian assistance settings in Somalia, Burundi, Kenya and Tanzania and in South Africa, Malawi, Côte d’Ivoire, DRC and Senegalese to address domestic workers' rights.Yassine Fall led for 4 years and uplifted AWORD, one of the oldest non-Governmental organizations in Africa that that strongly positioned women in African academia and research. She launched AWOMI in 2006 and for the following 10 years organized the Young Women Knowledge and Leadership Institute (YOWLI). YOWLI brought together hundreds of young women and men from Africa and its Diaspora and strengthened their economic knowledge, their multilateral development analysis and leadership abilities. YOWLI helped produce many young African leaders presently working in international development, at the local level, in stateinstitutions and in the private sector.After retiring from the UN, Yassine Fall supported private sector innovation initiatives while launching a social justice movement. She has been active promoting social justice and democratic transition in Senegal and West Africa. She run as Presidential Candidate in 2019 and later joined the party Pastef les Patriotes becoming Vice President of the Party in charge of International Relations. She is fluent in Wolof, her own language, French, English, Spanish and has conversational Portuguese level.

Cynthia Farid is a lawyer at the Supreme Court of Bangladesh and is currently a Global Academic Fellow at the University of Hong Kong Faculty of Law. Dr. Farid’s research interests include socio-legal history, constitutional and administrative law, law and development (with a focus on South Asia), and knowledge production processes in the Global South.

Hamish Falconer was appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Middle East and North Africa, Afghanistan, and Pakistan in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office on 18 July 2024. He was elected as the MP for Lincoln in July 2024.

María Fernanda Espinosa is the first woman from Latin America and the Caribbean to be President of the United Nations General Assembly (2018-2019). She has over 30 years of multilateral experience in international negotiations, peace, security, defense, disarmament, human rights, Indigenous peoples, gender equality, sustainable development, environment, biodiversity, climate change, and multilateral cooperation. She has served Ecuador as Minister of Foreign Affairs (twice), Minister of National Defense, and Coordinating Minister of Natural and Cultural Heritage. She was the first woman to become Permanent Representative of Ecuador to the United Nations in New York (2008). Currently, she is President of Cities Alliance and Executive Director of Global Women Leaders for Change and Inclusion. She is also a member of leading international organizations, including the International Crisis Group, Nizami Ganjavi International Center, the UN Alliance of Civilizations, the UN Advisory Board on Human Security, and the Generation Equality Forum. She chairs the work of the Coalition for the Un We Need, Debt Relief for a Green and Inclusive Recovery, Global Commission on the Economics of Water, and Global Commission on Climate Governance. Throughout her career, she has published over 50 scholarly articles, op-eds, reports, and book chapters on issues ranging from peace and security, geopolitics, and multilateralism to trade and investment, sustainable development, human rights, and climate change.

Brian Finlay is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Stimson Center. Under his tenure since 2016, Stimson has transformed its business model, launched pioneering new engagements across Asia, and industry-defining programming on environmental security, renewable energy, and technology. As a result, the Center has quadrupled in size and continues to dramatically outperform similarly sized institutions in global rankings. Stimson today boasts the most diverse and inclusive workforce of any major Washington think tank. Brian previously served as Vice President, Managing Director, and Senior Fellow at Stimson. Prior to joining the Center, he served as executive director of a Washington-based lobbying initiative focused on counterterrorism issues and as a researcher at the Brookings Institution. Prior to emigrating to the United States from his native Canada, Brian served with the Public Health Agency and the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. He is Chairman Emeritus of the Board of Directors of iMMAP, an information management and data analytics organization focused on improving humanitarian relief and development coordination. Brian was an adjunct professor at American University in Washington, and today sits on the Editorial Board of Global Security, a journal of health, science and policy published by Routledge, Taylor & Francis. With expertise in nonproliferation, transnational crime, counter-trafficking, and supply chain security, Brian holds an M.A. from the Norman Patterson School of International Affairs at Carleton University, a graduate diploma from the School of Advanced International Studies, the Johns Hopkins University and an honors B.A. from Western University in Canada.

Hakan Fidan is appointed as the Minister of Foreign Affairs in the new cabinet formed after the second round of the presidential elections held on May 28, 2023. He was born in Hamamönü, Ankara in 1968.Having graduated from the Turkish Military Academy and the Land Forces Language School, Fidan pursued a significant part of his academic studies during his service in the Turkish Armed Forces. While on a NATO mission abroad, he obtained bachelor's degree in Politics and Administrative Science from the University of Maryland University College. He then obtained his master's and doctoral degrees from the Department of International Relations at the Bilkent University.Following his service in the Turkish Armed Forces, Fidan focused on academic life and gave lectures in the field of International Relations at Hacettepe University and Bilkent University.He held critical positions in the state administration in foreign policy and security domains. He served as the President of the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency, Deputy Undersecretary responsible for foreign policy and security issues at the Prime Ministry, Board Member of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Special Representative of the Prime Minister, Deputy Undersecretary of the National Intelligence Organization, Undersecretary/Director of the National Intelligence Organization, and Special Representative of the President.Fidan was appointed as the Undersecretary/Director of the National Intelligence Organization on May 27, 2010, and served in that position for 13 years.Fidan is married and has three children.

Marie Forestier is a policy analyst and a researcher with over a decade of experience in conflict-affected countries in the Middle East, Central Asia and Africa. As a Senior Advisor at the European Institute of Peace (EIP), Marie provides strategic policy advice to diplomats and international stakeholders on the Syrian political process. She is also the co-director of the Syria Strategy Project. Previously, she was previously a researcher and advisor on refugee rights in the Middle East region at Amnesty International. In her previous work with international organizations and NGOs, Marie researched human rights issues, the gender impact of counter-terrorism policies in Syrian and in Iraq and developed gender analyses and policy recommendations in order to increase women’s participation in peace processes in Syria and in Yemen. Marie was a visiting fellow at the Center for Women Peace and Security of the London School of Economics, focusing on sexual violence against Syrian women. Marie holds a Master’s degree in International Affairs from Sciences Po Paris and is a graduate of Columbia University Journalism School.

Laura is a senior executive with 30 years of experience in global development gained through her service in multilateral organizations, government, nonprofit, and more recently the private sector. She started her career at the World Bank, where she worked for 20 years, holding several technical and managerial positions in Africa, Latin America and Eastern Europe. She was then appointed Director General of the Italian Overseas Development Agency, with the responsibility of setting up the newly created agency under the government of Prime Minister Matteo Renzi. Prior to joining GPE, Laura led the Global Development Assistance Service Practice at KPMG, which supports initiatives that create real value for investors and for society. These include implementation improvement and restructuring to help governments function better in areas such as infrastructure, education and finance. In the aftermath of the pandemic, an increasing amount of her work related to vaccine distribution and COVID-related issues, as well as supporting governments in implementing various types of social protection measures to sustain the most vulnerable groups. She oversaw various teams who managed ongoing relationships with the United Nations, World Bank and other multilaterals. Her senior roles at the World Bank, where she worked extensively in the human development sector, as head of a bilateral development agency, and more recently as head of a large practice in a global consulting firm, give her a deep familiarity with GPE, the issues that GPE is trying to address, and the global development space where its work is situated. Laura is multilingual; beyond her native Italian, she is fluent in English, French, Spanish and Portuguese. Laura served as a board member at the School of Business and Management at the Polytechnic University of Milan and has been a member of the Group of Eminent Advisers to the President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), as well as various nonprofit organizations. She was awarded the Star of the Italian Republic in 2014 by the Italian President Giorgio Napolitano in recognition of extraordinary merit to the preservation and promotion of national prestige abroad.

Natasha Franceschi is the Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Levant and Syria engagement in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs.  For the previous three years, she served as Chargé d’Affaires, a.i. and Deputy Chief of Mission in Tunisia.  Prior to that, she served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Slovakia. Her other previous assignments include Director of the State Department’s Office of Caucasus Affairs and Regional Conflicts, Deputy Director of the Office of Arabian Peninsula Affairs; Deputy Political Counselor at U.S. Embassy Baghdad; and Deputy Political Advisor at the U.S. Mission to NATO, where she oversaw NATO’s relationships with its partners in the Middle East and North Africa. She earlier served in Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Bosnia, Russia, and in various positions in the State Department’s Bureaus of Near Eastern and Political-Military Affairs.  DAS Franceschi, a career member of the U.S. Foreign Service with the rank of Minister Counselor, hails from Northern California. She is a graduate of Swarthmore College and the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. 

I was called to the Bar in 1978 and became a Queen’s Counsel in 1994. I was appointed as a High Court Judge on 21 November 2002, assigned to the Queen’s Bench Division. I was elected to serve as one of the 18 judges of the International Criminal Court (“ICC”) in 2003 for a term of nine years and was assigned to the Trial Division. I served as President of the Trial Division. Until I presided over the Lubanga Case (the ICC’s first trial) in 2005, I continued working as a High Court judge, during which period I tried the 21/7 failed London bombers. I served a nine-year term at the ICC.I was appointed as a Lord Justice of Appeal on 10 May 2013 and I served as the Senior Presiding Judge from 1 January 2016 until 31 March 2017.On 27 February 2017, I was appointed as the first Investigatory Powers Commissioner, providing judicial oversight of the use of investigatory powers by public authorities. I was appointed as Vice President of the Court of Appeal Criminal Division on 20 October 2019. I was (re)appointed on 16 January 2023 as a judge of the Court of Appeal, sitting in retirement. On 1 July 2023, I was appointed as the Chair of the Security Vetting Appeals Panel. I sit on the Courts of Appeal of Guernsey, Jersey and Gibraltar. On 1 November 2024, I became Chair of the IEP (the disciplinary body for Members of the House of Commons).

 Sidonia Gabriel is a critical observer of the geopolitical evolution and an innovative nexus thinker. For over 20 years, her focus lies in conflict analysis, peace processes, dialogue facilitation, negotiation and mediation as well as working peace throughout humanitarian, development and security cooperation. She has worked as a Human Security Advisor for the Swiss FDFA in Sri Lanka and Mozambique; prior to that she had advisory functions for the European Union, the United Nations as well as for local and international civil society organisations in various contexts. As a board member of Peace Women Across the Globe (PWAG) and as a member of the network Swiss Women in Peace Processes (SWIPP) she is strengthening women’s participation in political and mediation processes. She is currently a Senior Advisor for Fragility, Conflict and Human Rights at the Peace, Governance and Equality section of the Swiss Development Cooperation.  

Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General (Political) United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan Georgette Gagnon United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres appointed Georgette Gagnon of Canada as his Deputy Special Representative (Political) for Afghanistan in the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) on 2 September 2024. Based in Kabul, Ms. Gagnon has more than 28 years of experience in supporting peacebuilding processes and leading strategic initiatives on human rights, humanitarian action and development in conflict and post-conflict settings. From 2021 to 2024, Ms. Gagnon served as Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Libya in the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) and Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Libya. Prior to her service in UNSMIL, she worked as Director of Field Operations and Technical Cooperation in the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), where she led the work of the Office’s field presences globally. From 2010 to 2015, Ms. Gagnon served as Director of Human Rights for UNAMA. She has also held positions of Director and Senior Adviser on protection of civilians, human rights and the rule of law with the United Nations, national Governments and non-governmental organizations in the Balkans, Syria and Africa. Ms. Gagnon holds a bachelor of laws from Osgoode Hall Law School-York University in Toronto, Canada, and a master of laws in international human rights law from the University of Essex in the United Kingdom.

Dr Guma El-Gamaty, who studied and lived in the UK since 1975, was a known political activist and a member of the exiled Libyan opposition to the Gaddafi regime. His education background in UK universities is varied and included Biochemistry to an MSc level, marketing and business administration (MBA) and later political science at a PhD level. He was the Libyan NTC (National Transitional Council) coordinator with the UK government throughout the months of the revolution in 2011 and after he returned to Libya by end of that year, he set up with others the Taghyeer political party (party for change) which he leads currently. He was also a member of the Libyan dialogue committee that produced the Libyan Political Agreement (LPA) in Morocco in December 2015. Dr El- Gamaty also acted as the special envoy of the GNA (Government of National Accord) head Fayez Sarraj to the Maghreb countries from Jan 2019 to March 2021. Dr El-Gamaty is a well-known figure nationally in Libya and seen regularly on national and international media offering insight and analysis on Libya. As an academic, he has been a regular contributor of articles and papers in English covering political, economic and security issues including, democratisation, human development, human security, governance, conflict resolution and general geopolitical dynamics.

Professor Virginia Gamba was appointed Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict at the Under-Secretary-General level in April 2017. She served most recently as Assistant Secretary General, Head of the Joint Investigative Mechanism Syria (SC Res 2235 and 2319). She previously served as Deputy to the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs and Director of the Office for Disarmament Affairs. Past engagements with the United Nations include serving as Director to the Disarmament and Conflict Resolution Programme at the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research in Geneva (1992-1996). Ms. Gamba has a long career in peace and security, human security and disarmament issues.From 2007 to 2011 she served as Deputy Director and Senior Coordinator on Safety and Security at the Instituto Superior de Seguridad Publica, Ministry of Justice, Government of the Autonomous city of Buenos Aires. From 1996 to 2006 she was based in Africa serving inter-alia as peace and security consultant to the Africa Union, Deputy Director of the Institute for Security Studies in South Africa and Director for South-South Interactions of Safer Africa. She was also the senior program officer for arms control, disarmament and demobilization at the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation in Chicago (1991-1993). Prior to this she was an academic and a senior lecturer at the Latin American Security Studies, Department of War Studies, King's College, London (1986-1991). Moreover, she also served as an advisor to the Argentine Ministry of Defense on Civil Military Relations and Transformation of the Military under Democracy(1983-1985). Ms. Gamba holds an MSc (Econ) in Strategic Studies, University College of Wales, Aberyswyth and a B.A. (Hons) in Spanish and Latin American Studies, University of Newcastle Upon Tyne,United Kingdom. Born in San Martin, province of Buenos Aires in 1954, Ms. Gamba is married and has one daughter.

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. 

Eduardo Enrique Reina García was born in Tegucigalpa on December 9, 1968. He has a degree in Legal and Social Sciences, with an orientation in Public International Law, and completed his postgraduate studies with an emphasis on Commerce, International Finance, International Law and International Policy at Oxford University, United Kingdom. In the public sector, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Honduras, he served as First Secretary of the Honduran Embassy in Brussels, Adviser to the Ambassador's Office to the European Union, Belgium, the Netherlands and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, and Advisor to the Embassy of Honduran in London. He has also served as Director of Exports and Investments, Chief of Cabinet and Adviser to the Ministerial Office, Advisor to the Special Office on Sovereignty and Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs. Holding the rank of Career Ambassador. He served as Head of the Honduran Diplomatic Mission to the White House in Washington, D.C. He served as Director of the Office of the Secretariat-General of the Organization of American States as its Representative in Bolivia, participating in several election observation missions of the Organization of American States.

Bience Gawanas is a lawyer by profession and former member of Namibia's Public Service Commission, where she played a pivotal role in reforming the governance model of public service delivery post-Independence. As Namibia's first Ombudswoman, she later became the inaugural Commissioner for Social Affairs at the African Union Commission. Bience also served as a Special Advisor to two Namibian Cabinet Ministers before her appointment as the UN Under-Secretary General and Special Advisor for Africa. She currently serves on several boards, including as Vice Chair of the Global Fund Board and member of the Global Preparedness Monitoring Board. She has been recognized as one of the 100 most influential Africans by the New African Publication.  Notably, the President of Namibia conferred on her Namibia’s second highest Order, “Grand Commander of the Most Brilliant Order of the Sun, First Class”.  She holds an LLB Honours from the University of Warwick, an Utter Barrister Degree from Lincoln’s Inn, an Executive MBA from the University of Cape Town, and honorary Doctorates from both the University of Warwick and the University of Western Cape. Bience will become Chancellor of the University of Warwick in January 2025.

Fahd Consulting & Technology LLC CEO and President, Tassadit Gharbi was 50% Owner of Prodev Inc in Canada and was an active partner of Al Attiyah Group in Qatar with whom she represents SBB, a Canadian telecom/electric Transmission tower manufacturer. In 2012 she founded Al Fahd Consulting & Technology with her business partner William Spurr - former Bombardier president. She has also supported Qatari partner from the Royal Family in his businesses prior to creating Al-Fahd Consulting & Technology Group. Tassadit worked as advisor to CCC (Canadian Commercial Corporation) in Defense and Security. Tassadit is very competent in identifying clients and the major stakeholders, as well as marketing the products and services. She has excellent networking and marketing capabilities. Nicknamed in Qatar as Tassa she has developed very strong professional relations and network with the various security and defense in the country. Tassadit is Director and Board Member of the JV Al-Fahd – CAE. CAE is Canadian leader in aviation training, AI supported training, defense and civil. Tassadit has also a substantive network in Canada, France, Italy and USA at high level business and political. Tassadit created a partnership with Six Seconds, a world leader in Emotional Intelligence and Coaching. Tassadit has been the CEO of Al-Fahd since January 2024 and solo foreign shareholder of Al-Fahd.

Museum in Doha, and the IM Pei Professor of Islamic Art and Architecture at the University of Oxford. Among his research interests are early Qur'ans, Umayyad art and architecture, Arabic illustrated manuscripts, and late Ottoman calligraphy. In 2024, he was elected a Fellow of the British Academy.

Faisal rejoined Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance in June 2024 as Director for Africa, Asia, Latin America & Middle East in the Resource Mobilisation & Growth department overseeing strategic engagement and management of Gavi’s relationships in these markets. Faisal worked at the Digital Cooperation Organization in Riyadh as Government Affairs Director from May 2023–May 2024. His first engagement with Gavi spanned over 11 years (2012-2023) as Senior Donor Manager for the Middle East, including managing Africa partnerships portfolio (2017–2021). Before joining Gavi, Faisal held key positions at Oxfam GB in UK; Cooperazione Internazionale (COOPI) and Islamic Relief Worldwide in Afghanistan (2001-2005). He also worked in the private sector as Business Development Manager (Pakistan and Central Asia) at Hyundai (1997-2001) and in a family construction business in Pakistan (1994-95). He has lived and worked in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom and Switzerland. Faisal is a postgraduate in International Political Economy from the University of Birmingham (UK) and has a master’s degree in International Relations from the University of Peshawar, Pakistan. Faisal is married with a daughter and a son.

Andreas Görgen is Head of the German Foreign Office’s Culture and Communication Department. He first completed a law degree, before in 1996 beginning his professional career at the Berliner Ensemble theatre. For a number of years he had been working between Germany and France, in the field of culture as well as industry. After accomplishing a scholarship at the École Nationale D’Administration in France, he changed sectors, working in the public financing of films. This was followed by consultancy roles in the managerial teams of the State Ministry for Culture and Media, the Federal Chancellery’s Europe Department, and at the Foreign Office under Federal Foreign Minister Steinmeier. Having gained experience and negotiating expertise on the complex international circuit, there followed between 2009 and 2013 senior roles in the energy sector with Siemens South West Europe, prior to once again returning to the Federal Foreign Office.

The Honorable Jason Greenblatt is a diplomat, lawyer, and commentator who served as an Assistant to the President and the White House Special Envoy to the Middle East from 2017-2019 under President Donald J. Trump. In this role, Jason helped establish U.S. policy in the Middle East and was one of the key players in laying the foundation for the Abraham Accords. Jason is the Senior Director of Arab-Israel Diplomacy at The Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs. Jason is the author of the widely acclaimed book "In the Path of Abraham, How Donald Trump Made Peace in the Middle East and How to Stop Joe Biden from Unmaking It." Jason remains involved in working toward peace and prosperity throughout the Middle East region. He is a sought-after expert on the Middle East and has published Opinion pieces in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, CNN, Fox News, Al Jazeera, Arab News, Al Arabiya, U.S. News and World Report, Newsweek and many other and other media outlets and is a frequent guest on many news outlets in the United States and the Middle East.

Martin Griffiths has fifty years of professional experience with the United Nations and other global institutions. He served most recently as the leader of the global humanitarian system as well as the UN’s principal troubleshooter in the conflicts and crises of today. Martin is recognized as one of the most accomplished international mediators of conflicts around the world. He founded the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue in Geneva in 1999, which has since become the world’s leading and largest private diplomacy institution. To date he has led mediations in every continent, from Indonesia, Thailand, Myanmar and Afghanistan, to Spain, Sudan and Venezuela. He reached the top of the profession as the UN mediator in Yemen from 2018 to 2021. Martin’s humanitarian experience started as a frontline aid worker in the UNICEF Thai/Cambodia Border Operation in 1979. He went on to regional and then global responsibility for humanitarian action in both the non-governmental sector and within the United Nations. In his most recent position as United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Martin Griffiths led humanitarian negotiations, both for principles and for access to those in need. He also led the global advocacy for humanitarian funding and for the rights of people and communities affected by crises. In mid 2024, 300 million people required humanitarian assistance at an estimated minimum cost of 56 billion US dollars a year.

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.

Wael Dahdouh is the bureau chief of Al Jazeera in Gaza, Palestine, and a veteran journalist who joined the network in 2004. He played a key role in establishing Al Jazeera’s presence in Palestine.Born on April 30, 1970, in Gaza City, Dahdouh has covered major Israeli attacks on Gaza, including the wars of 2008, 2012, 2014, 2021, and 2023.Despite losing his wife, son, daughter, grandson, and other relatives in an Israeli airstrike during the 2023 war, Dahdouh continued reporting live, embodying resilience and dedication.He survived another airstrike targeting him and a colleague, which claimed the life of his cameraman, and tragically lost his eldest son, Hamza, to an Israeli drone strike in January 2024.Dahdouh remains a symbol of courage and perseverance, using journalism to bring global attention to the suffering in Gaza. He received numerous prestigious international awards, most notably:- The John Aubuchon Press Freedom Award by the National Press Club in Washington (2024)- The Courage Award from Reporters Without Borders (2024)

Faisal Mohamed Al-Emadi is the Secretary General of Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS), with extensive experience in business management, operational leadership, and humanitarian work. His passion for humanitarian action has been a driving force throughout his career. Faisal holds an MBA from the Arab Academy for Science, Technology, and Maritime Transport in Egypt and a Diploma in Government Leadership from Qatar Leadership Centre. He is currently pursuing a PhD at Mohammed V University in Morocco, focusing on humanitarian studies. Before assuming the role of Secretary General in January 2022, Faisal served as Executive Director of Relief and International Development at QRCS. In this role, he successfully led and coordinated numerous global relief and development initiatives supporting vulnerable communities. Prior to joining QRCS in 2020, Faisal was Executive Director of Programs at Silatech (2016–2020), where he effectively managed the organization’s strategic and annual plans. From 1999 to 2016, Faisal held various governmental positions in Qatar, gaining valuable insights into social and developmental challenges. He is a member of several key committees in Qatar, including Vice Chair of the National Committee for International Humanitarian Law and a member of the Civil Defense Council. Faisal’s technical expertise in IT enhances his ability to innovate and improve humanitarian operations. His exceptional communication and critical-thinking skills enable him to navigate complex humanitarian challenges and create lasting positive impact.

Yalda Hakim is an award-winning international correspondent and documentary filmmaker. She is the face of the show “The World with Yalda Hakim”, airing Monday to Thursday at 9 pm on Sky News, Freeview Channel 233. In 2024, Yalda Hakim and Richard Engel launched a new podcast sharing the latest news 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 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.

H.E. Judge Mohammad Qasim Halimi is the former Minister of Hajj and Religious Affairs in Afghanistan. He is a member of the National Council of Ulema. He is the founder and director of Quba Reform Foundation and has been and the co-founder and member of leading council of Eatidaal center, and Executive Board member of High Peace Council in Afghanistan. H.E. Halimi has a masters of Sharia and Law from the University of Arab States League in Cairo, Egypt. He graduated with a bachelors in Sharia and Law from Al Azhar University, H.E. Halimi is an active member of the International Union of the Al-Azhar University. H.E. Halimi was assigned as a Deputy Justice Minister of Technical and Professional Affairs in 2017. He was the former Advisor and Religious Affairs’ Director at the Office of National Security Council (ONSC), and a former Senior and Special Advisor for H.E. President Ghani concerning Islamic and Arab Countries’ Affairs from 2014-2015. He has worked as a Senior advisor for secretariat of Afghanistan peace and reconciliation program (APRP) and as a legal and conflict advisor at The Asia Foundation. He was also a former senior Advisor at the ministry of education. He has served as an asset involving different government and non-government sectors across Afghanistan including as a Judge on the Supreme Court.

Hanouf Abdulrahman Al-Thani currently serves as the Director of the International Organizations Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Qatar. Before her appointment as Director, Hanouf held several managerial positions at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where she began her career in 2011. Prior to entering diplomacy, Hanouf worked at RasGas Ltd. from 2006 as Head of Section in the General Management Group. Hanouf holds a Juris Doctor degree from Hamad Bin Khalifa University and a Master’s degree in Public Policy and International Management from SOAS University of London. She is also a graduate of the Qatar Leadership Center Rising Leaders program and serves as a board member of the HBKU College of Law Alumni. Currently, she is pursuing her Ph.D. in Law, focusing on “The effects of the United Nations conventions on the law reforms in the State of Qatar.”

Abeer Al-Hammadi is the Director of Innovation and Economic Development at Hamad bin Khalifa University (HBKU). In her current role at HBKU, Abeer is leading the Innovation Center within HBKU. The center is designed to facilitate and promotes dynamic entrepenerial ecosystem under sustainable internal and external collaborations. Abeer joined Qatar Foundation in 2008 as a participant of its Qatar Science Leadership Program (QSLP) and was appointed as the first Manager of Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer in 2011. During her role, Abeer managed a portfolio of more than 150 early stage biomedical related technologies. She also established and managed the only national IP outreach program (Al-Khabeer) in May 2015. In 2018, she was appointment as Director of Innovation and Economic Development and worked closely with National entities directing and promoting all the research activities across Qatar Foundation that are geared towards the acceleration of economic development in Qatar. Abeer is recognized as IP Arabic spokesperson in many IP and Innovation events and platforms. She holds a BSc in Biotechnology from Cardiff University and an EMBA degree from HEC Paris in Qatar.

Ph.D. in International Economic Relations, Baghdad University. He is currently a senior economic adviser, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar and Professor of Political Economy at the Diplomatic Institute.He served as Professor of Economics at the Universities of Iraq, Libya and Qatar. He also worked as an Economist at the Planning Council and the Council of Ministers of the State of Qatar (2001-2010). 137 research were published for him in Arab and foreign peer-reviewed periodicals. In addition, 182 scientific articles in Arab and international journals.He co-wrote 25 national and regional reports on sustainable development, external assistance and the Millennium Development Goals, and co-author of the Gulf Economic Report of the Gulf Studies Centre (2006-2022).He published 35 books by Arab and international universities, research centers and publishing houses, and contributed to writing six Encyclopedia books for research institutions. The most famous of which are the problem of development in the Muslim world, research in Islamic economics, religions and human rights. He supervised and discussed dozens of master’s and doctoral theses at Arab and international universities.

Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein is the President and CEO of the International Peace Institute. He is the Perry World House Professor of the Practice of Law and Human Rights at the University of Pennsylvania. And he is the President of Octagonal Advisory LLC, a consultancy providing services for the advancement of human rights and is an Associate Tenant (as Academic Advisor) with Doughty Street Chambers, London. He was the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights from 9/2014 -9/2018 and his professional background is one of having been a practitioner -- a former senior diplomat. His knowledge is steeped in international politics, international human rights law, international criminal law, UN peacekeeping, post-conflict peace-building, international development, and counter-nuclear terrorism – stemming from twenty-four years of direct exposure to many of the world’s most turbulent crises and serious security threats. In 2019, he was appointed a member of The Elders, an independent group of global leaders working for peace, justice and human rights, founded by Nelson Mandela.

MG. Ramzan Hamad Al Naimi, joined Qatar Armed Forces in 1996 and graduated from United Kingdom Royal Air Force College in 1998. He attended specialization courses in various countries including USA, UK, France, Turkey, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait and Oman. He received his Master’s Degree in defense studies in 2015. He worked as a ground control intercept between 1999 and 2003 and became a grade (A) controller. He participated in many national and international exercises both in training audience and exercise control staff. During his military career, he served at various positions including, air controller, the commanding air controller trainer, operations officer in air operations center, trainer in air operations center, airspace management officer, the Head of the Production Division in Joint Warfare Training Center (JWTC), and the Deputy JWTC Commander, He also participated in various projects, such as GCC Air Space Identification and Enhancement of Early Warning Systems (HAT), as a committee member. He was a staff officer in the NATO Operation Unified Protector in Libya under UNSCR 7th Term, and the coalition operations Restore Hope in Yemen. Currently, he is the Commander of Qatar Armed Forces Joint Warfare Training Center.

Caroline Hancock is the Art Mill Museum Senior Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art. The Art Mill Museum is the future museum of international and multidisciplinary modern and contemporary art planned by Qatar Museums in Doha. She is an art historian, curator and writer. Between 1998 and 2009, she worked in museums in Paris, London, and Dublin. In 2008, she was awarded the Joanna Drew Travel Bursary which led to long-term research on arts and cultures in Africa and West Asia. From 2010 to 2019, she was an independent curator with projects in the public and private sectors. She co-curated the current exhibition at the National Museum of Qatar, "Manzar: Art and Architecture, 1940s to Today", with Aurélien Lemonier and Zarmeene Shah.

Igli Hasani (born in Tirana on December 4, 1976) is an Albanian high-ranking diplomat and security expert. Since September 2023, he holds the position of Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Albania in the government of Prime Minister Edi Rama. Igli Hasani completed his studies at the University of Tirana, at the Faculty of Social Sciences for Philosophy-Sociology (BA, 1996-2001), as well as at the Faculty of Law for Law (LLB, 2001-2006). He completed his master’s studies (MA) in International Relations (2006) at King’s College in London, in a joint program with the Royal College of Defense Studies of Great Britain, one of the most prestigious defense educational institutions in the world. During his professional career, Igli Hasani has completed a series of executive qualifications at the Marshall Centre in Germany and the Monterey Naval Postgraduate School in the United States of America. Before taking on his current position as Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs, from October 2021 to September 2023, Igli Hasani held the position of OSCE Coordinator for Economic-Environmental Affairs. This was the highest position held by an Albanian citizen in the OSCE since Albania’s membership in the Organization in 1991. Igli Hasani joined the Albanian diplomatic corps in 2018, as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary and Permanent Representative of the Republic of Albania to International Organizations in Vienna, a position he held until September 2021. In December 2018, Albania received the support of the participating States of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to chair the Organization in 2020. The Albanian Chairmanship of the OSCE would be the first time that Albania would chair the world’s largest regional security organization, thus taking on an unprecedented responsibility in multilateral diplomacy. To this end, in the years 2019-2021, when Albania was part of the OSCE leadership Troika, Ambassador Hasani led an international team composed of 40+ Albanian and foreign diplomats and experts, work which culminated in the Albanian Chairmanship of the OSCE in 2020. In a very difficult year marked by the global pandemic of COVID-19, Albania, under the leadership of Prime Minister Rama as the Chair in Office of the OSCE, and Ambassador Hasani in Vienna as Chair of the OSCE Permanent Council, achieved concrete results for the Organization, which included the non-interrupted operations in virtual format for the first time in history, as well as the election of the four OSCE leadership positions. Also, in the Ministerial of Tirana, the first held under pandemic conditions and in an almost fully virtual format and without the possibility of in-person negotiations, the Albanian Chairmanship managed to secure consensus for the adoption of 11 decisions of the Council of Ministers of the OSCE, in each of the dimensions of the work of the Organization, specifically that of security, economic-environmental, and human rights. The Albanian chairmanship of the OSCE was widely considered successful, proving the readiness of Albania and its diplomatic service for important tasks in the international arena. During 2019 and in the period January-September 2021, Mr. Hasani led respectively the Mediterranean Contact Group and the Cooperation Group of Asian Partners in Vienna, as well as worked closely with the Slovak and Swedish Presidencies of the OSCE as part of the OSCE Troika. In the period 2001-2018, Mr. Hasani held leadership positions in the Ministry of Defense, including as Secretary General (2017-2018), Director General for Defense Policies (2014), Director of NATO, EU and Foreign Relations and General Director of Support Services and Legal Director (2013), as well as Director of Euro-Atlantic Integration and Defense Policy (2008-2011). During the years 2012-2013, Igli Hasani held the position of Head of the Department for Security and International Relations at the National Center for Security and Defense. Before starting his career in the field of security and then diplomacy, Igli Hasani had several years of experience in the field of media and journalism, serving as a Policy and Media Advisor to the Minister of Defense (2006-2008) as well as Director of Press and Information at the Ministry of Defense (2004-2006). During the years 2001-2003, he held the position of Deputy Director of Press and Information in the Ministry of Defense as well as Head of Public Relations for the Secretariat for Refugees in the Ministry of Local Government and Decentralization. Previously, Igli Hasani worked as a journalist and editor for various Albanian newspapers and TV stations from 1997 to 2001. Igli Hasani is fluent in English, Italian, and Greek.

David Harland is a New Zealand diplomat who has been the executive director of the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD), a Geneva-based foundation that specializes in the mediation of armed conflict, since 2011. Harland served as a witness for the prosecution in a number of cases at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.  Harland holds a PhD from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy (1994); a Master's degree from Harvard University (East Asian studies, 1991); a Graduate Diploma from Beijing University (1988); and a Bachelor of Arts from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand (1983).  Harland was appointed HD's Executive Director in 2011. He currently also sits on the United Nations secretary-general's high-level advisory board on mediation, and on the Scientific Advisory Board of the Robert Koch Institute Centre for International Health Protection (ZIG). Prior to that, Harland was adjunct professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), and Chair of the World Economic Forum Global Agenda Council on Conflict Prevention.  Before joining HD as executive director, Harland served as director of the Europe and Latin America Division of the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations (2006–2011). He served in United Nations peacekeeping missions in Haiti (2010), Kosovo (2008), Timor Leste (1999-2000) and Bosnia and Herzegovina (1993–1998). During 1999, he was released from his regular duties to research and draft the United Nations report on the Srebrenica massacre, "The Fall of Srebrenica".[12] He served as a Teaching Fellow at Harvard University from 1989 to 1991.  Harland served as a witness for the prosecution at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in the cases of "The Prosecutor versus Ratko Mladic"] (2012), "The Prosecutor versus Radovan Karadžic" (2010), "The Prosecutor versus Dragomir Miloševic" (2007), and the Prosecutor versus "Slobodan Miloševic" (2004).

Ambassador Christoph Heusgen has been Chairman of the Munich Security Conference (MSC) since 2022. He teaches Political Science at the University of Saint Gallen.  Christoph Heusgen was Permanent Representative of Germany to the United Nations between 2017 and 2021. Prior to this appointment and since 2005, Heusgen was the Foreign Policy and Security Adviser to Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel. He served as Director of the Policy Unit for High Representative Javier Solana in the General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union from 1999 to 2005. Between 1988 and 1999, Heusgen served in various capacities at the Foreign Office in Bonn, including Deputy Director-General for European Affairs from 1997 to 1999.  Heusgen is a graduate of the University of Saint Gallen in Switzerland, studied at Georgia Southern College in the United States, and at the Sorbonne in Paris.

Amos Hochstein serves as the White House Senior Advisor to the President for Energy and Investment and Deputy Assistant to the President. Amos previously served at the State Department as the Special Presidential Coordinator for Global Infrastructure and Energy Security. Amos has also held the position of Senior Advisor to the Secretary of State for Global Energy Security. He began his tenure with the State Department in 2011, when he was appointed Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Diplomacy. From 2014 to 2017 he served as Special Envoy and Coordinator for International Energy Affairs and led the Bureau of Energy Resources. Amos has served in a variety of roles in the private sector and Capitol Hill. He was the Senior Policy Advisor to the Foreign Affairs Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives and has also worked as an advisor to Senators Chris Dodd (CT) and Mark Warner (VA). Throughout his career, he has been a senior business executive and counselor for domestic and international companies, focusing on marketing, assessing potential new markets, the development of alternative sources of power, and the best strategies to bring them to market. Hochstein has served on the boards of the Atlantic Council and the U.S.-India Business Council, as well as a Non-resident Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Belfer Center.

Naomi Hossain is the Global Research Professor of Development Studies at SOAS University of London, and a political sociologist whose research centers on how people living with poverty and precarity get the public services they need. She specializes in the politics of Bangladesh’s development, and, beyond Bangladesh, in the contentious politics of disasters and public service delivery, with a focus on state accountability and responsiveness, protests, civil society, and the role of aid. With an academic background in philosophy, politics, economics (University of Oxford), social anthropology (the London School of Economics) and development studies (University of Sussex), Naomi’s work aims to be collaborative, inter-disciplinary, and accessible. She has worked with researchers, social movements, civil society, artists, governments and aid agencies around the world. She has researched extensively across Bangladesh, and managed large international studies spanning another 20 countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and Europe. Her work has examined elite perceptions of poverty, accountability and complaints mechanisms, food riots and energy protests, the politics of educational reform, civil society and civic space, the political effects of disasters, and the role of protest in holding public authorities to account. Naomi is Bangladeshi-Irish and has lived in Bangladesh, Indonesia, the UK and the US. She previously worked at the Research and Evaluation Division of BRAC, the world’s largest NGO; the Institute of Development Studies at Sussex University; and at the Accountability Research Center at American University in Washington DC.

Nadim Houry is an international lawyer and public policy expert with extensive experience working in the Middle East & North Africa region. He is the executive director of the Arab Reform Initiative (ARI), a leading regional think tank with offices in Paris, Beirut and Tunis, working for democratic and accountable governance as well as social and environmental justice. Prior to ARI, Nadim worked at Human Rights Watch and the UN. He has published widely and is often quoted in local and international media. A passionate advocate for reforms in the region, he has addressed the Security Council and the European Parliament on challenges and opportunities in the Arab region.

Paula Ingabire is a Rwandan technology enthusiast currently serving as the Minister of ICT and Innovation in the Government of Rwanda. Prior to her appointment as Minister, she served as Head of the ICT Business Development Department at the Rwanda Development Board where she led the implementation of National ICT programs notably eGovernment and Cyber Security and coordinator of the Kigali Innovation City, a project designed to nurture and strengthen a Pan-African Innovation eco-system. She coordinated the creation of Smart Africa, an initiative that seeks to leverage broadband infrastructure as a driver for Africa’s socio- economic growth.  She is a graduate of the MIT’s School of Engineering & Sloan School of Management, in System Design and Management. With 10 years’ experience leading ICT programs for economic development, she’s a keen advocate of the role of innovation and emerging technologies towards driving economic growth.  Paula was named by Apolitical (2019) among the Top 20 of the World’s 100 most influential people in digital government. She serves on the Global Council of the World Summit Award Board of Directors, World Economic Forum Cyber Security Board and Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Global Network Advisory Board.

Mariam Ismail is currently the Geneva Call’s Regional Operation Coordinator for the MENA and Latin America regions. With more than 20 years of experience in humanitarian, emergencies, conflict and peacebuilding contexts, Ms. Ismail worked on different capacities in Syria, Iraq, Libya, Yemen, Sudan and others. She holds a joint master’s in Humanitarian Action from the University of Geneva and the Graduate Institute- Geneva (IHEID).

Komei Isozaki is a Senior Manager of Deloitte Tohmatsu Space & Security and a Japan Chair fellow at Hudson Institute. He is an expert in Japanese defense policy, space security, and biological and chemical weapons conventions. His research areas include space and defense strategy with a focus on the Asia-Pacific region. He has a deep knowledge of intelligence operations and foreign policy of the Tokugawa Shogunate in the early modern times. From 2018 to 2022, Mr. Isozaki was senior director for business integration and partner coordination of the Tokyo Organizing Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, in which role he protected and implemented the supply rights of the IOC TOP partners, managed the budget for test events, and was responsible for financial operations during the Games. From 2016 to 2018, he was director for the Biological and Chemical Weapon Conventions Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. Mr. Isozaki was a visiting fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies from 2005 to 2006 and from 2012 to 2014.He previously served in the Ministry of Defense of Japan for 30 years. His posts included work on space policy, cyber policy, strategic dialogue, intelligence, and peacekeeping operations. He was a policy advisor to the Commander of the Northern Army in 2010-2012.Mr. Isozaki received his MA in international relations from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University and his BA in laws from Keio University.

Dr. S. Jaishankar is India’s External Affairs Minister since May 30th, 2019. He is a Member of the Upper House (Rajya Sabha) of India’s Parliament from the state of Gujarat. He was Foreign Secretary from 2015-18, Ambassador to United States (2013-15), China (2009-2013) and Czech Republic (2000-2004). He was High Commissioner to Singapore (2007-2009). He has also served in other diplomatic assignments in Embassies in Moscow, Colombo, Budapest and Tokyo, as well in the Ministry of External Affairs and the President’s Secretariat. He was also President – Global Corporate Affairs at Tata Sons Private Limited from May 2018. Dr S. Jaishankar is a graduate of St. Stephen’s College at the University of Delhi. He has a Masters in Political Science and an M. Phil and Ph.D in International Relations from Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi. He is a recipient of the Padma Shri award in 2019 and has written widely acclaimed best-selling books: The India Way: Strategies for an Uncertain World, which was published in 2020 and Why Bharat Matters, which was published in 2024.

Amaney A. Jamal is Dean of the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs. She is also the Edwards S. Sanford Professor of Politics and a Professor of Politics and International Affairs at Princeton and directs the Workshop on Arab Political Development and the Bobst-American University of Beirut Collaborative Initiative. Dr. Jamal’s scholarship covers the Middle East and North Africa, mass and political behavior, political development and democratization, inequality and economic segregation, Muslim immigration, gender, race, religion, and class. Her book Barriers to Democracy, which explores the role of civic associations in promoting democratic effects in the Arab world, won the 2008 American Political Science Best Book Award in the Comparative Democratization section. She is an author or editor of three other books and numerous peer-reviewed articles and book chapters. Dr. Jamal earned her PhD from the University of Michigan and a bachelor’s from the University of California-Los Angeles. She was named a Carnegie Scholar in 2006 and elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2020.

Ambassador Said T. Jawad is a distinguished diplomat, senior business executive, and former government official with an established record of advancing diplomacy and security. Over his career, he has gained extensive political expertise serving as Afghanistan’s Ambassador to key capitals of Washington, D.C., London, and Moscow; and serving as non-resident ambassador to Ireland, Argentina, Mexico, Brazil, and Colombia. He is experienced in conflict resolution and served in the world most challenging diplomatic and business environments. He served as Chief of Staff to the President of Afghanistan, playing a pivotal role in shaping national policies, advancing democratic reforms, and building institutional capacity. An authority on international security, human rights, and adaptive leadership, Ambassador Jawad provides expertise in managing conflicts and navigating evolving political landscapes. As CEO of Capitalize LLC and a Global Political Strategist, he has led expert teams managing projects and advising governments and multinational corporations on strategy, defence, security, and investments. He has published hundreds of articles and contributed to academic and policy discussions as a Diplomat-in-Residence at Johns Hopkins University’s Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies and as a Senior Fellow at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. A poet and polo player, he published his most recent poetry collection, The First Flamenco in Samangan, in four languages.

He is currently an Associate Fellow of Chatham House, a Strand Leader for the Middle East and North Africa at Cambridge University’s Centre for Geopolitics and a Senior Fellow at Policy Exchange, the London-based think tank. Between 1980 and 2015 he served as a British diplomat, initially in Abu Dhabi (1983-86), Malaysia (1989-92) and Kuwait (1995-98) before being appointed HM Ambassador to Burma (1999-2002). He was subsequently HM Consul-General, Jerusalem (2003-06), Ambassador to Syria (2006-07), FCO Director for the Middle East and North Africa (2007-09), Ambassador to Iraq (2009-11), Special Representative to the National Transitional Council and subsequently Ambassador to Libya (2011) and Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (2012-2015). Between 2015 and 2017 he was Executive Director of The Institute for Strategic Studies – Middle East and a Senior Fellow at the Yale Jackson Institute for Global Affairs, teaching three courses on Middle Eastern Politics he held a BA (Double First Class Honours) and a PhD from Jesus College, Cambridge. He also studied at The School of Oriental and African Studies in London (Arabic and Burmese) and through the FCO with the London and Ashridge Business Schools.

Thomas Juneau is a professor at the University of Ottawa's Graduate School of Public and International Affairs. His research focuses on the Middle East, especially on Iran and Yemen, on the role of intelligence in national security and foreign policy making, and on Canadian foreign and defense policy. He is a non-resident fellow with the Sanaa Center for Strategic Studies. From 2003 until 2014, he worked with Canada’s Department of National Defense, mostly as a policy analyst covering the Middle East.

Carmen Joukhadar, experienced and dedicated journalist and news reporter with 15 years of experience. I joined Al Jazeera Media Network in 2019 as correspondent in Beirut bureau. During my journey with Al Jazeera, I covered all kinds of political and social topics from Lebanon, including the ongoing war since the 7th of October 2023. I also covered the Russian war on Ukraine. I started my journalistic career at Al-Safir newspaper in 2011, and I worked for France24 channel for 4 years, before joining Al Jazeera. I am currently pursuing my PhD thesis in media and communication at Saint Joseph University in Beirut after obtaining a master’s degree in media from Lebanese University.  I also enrolled in audiovisual program at the University of Sophia Antipolis in Cannes. In addition to my interest in current news topics, I also covered topics related to human rights, vulnerable communities, women, refugees and children. 

Mohammad Khalid Aljasem Mohammad Khalid Aljasem is a legal consultant and internationally recognized expert specializing in law enforcement, combating cybercrime, and addressing intellectual property crimes. With extensive expertise in various legal and technical fields, he has contributed significantly to advancing legal frameworks and promoting international cooperation. He is a certified expert in international law enforcement collaboration through Interpol (International Investigators Academy). His areas of expertise include combating cybercrime, preventing intellectual property violations, and providing legal training and consultation. Aljasem is also an accredited lecturer for the United Nations and has served as a consultant for the National Awareness Project for Drug Prevention, “Giras.”In academia, he has been a lecturer at the National Security College under Kuwait’s Ministry of Interior. Additionally, he serves as an arbitrator and mediator at the Kuwait Commercial Arbitration Center (affiliated with the Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry). He is licensed to practice law before the Constitutional Court and the Court of Cassation. Aljasem’s professional career includes working as a criminal investigator in Kuwait’s Ministry of Interior from 2006 to 2016 and as an Interpol officer at its General Secretariat from 2013 to 2016.

Nader Kabbani is Senior Fellow and Director of Research with the Middle East Council on Global Affairs and a Research Fellow with the Economic Research Forum. Previously, Kabbani was a Senior Fellow with the Brookings Institution in Washington, DC and Director of Research with the Brookings Doha Center. A development researcher and practitioner with over 20 years’ experience, Kabbani has served in leadership positions with the Silatech Foundation and the Syria Development Research Center at the Syria Trust for Development. He also served on the faculty of the American University of Beirut and the research staff of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the California State Senate. Kabbani publishes widely and regularly consults for international organizations such as the International Labour Organization and the World Bank. He serves on the advisory boards of several social enterprises and non-profit organizations. Kabbani holds a B.A. from Claremont McKenna College and a Ph.D. in Economics from the Johns Hopkins University.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres today announced the appointment of Ms. Sigrid Kaag of the Netherlands as Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza pursuant to Security Council Resolution 2720 (2023). In this role, she will facilitate, coordinate, monitor, and verify humanitarian relief consignments to Gaza. She will also establish a United Nations mechanism to accelerate humanitarian relief consignments to Gaza through States which are not party to the conflict. In executing these functions, she will be supported by the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS). Ms. Kaag is expected to begin her assignment on 8 January 2024.  Ms. Kaag brings a wealth of experience in political, humanitarian and development affairs, as well as in diplomacy. Most recently, she served as the first Deputy Prime Minister and first female Minister of Finance in the Dutch government since January 2022. Prior to this, she was Dutch Minister for Trade and Development Cooperation from October 2017 until May 2021, and Minister for Foreign Affairs until September 2021. Sigrid Kaag was elected party leader of the social liberal party D66 in September 2020 and she stepped down from that position in August 2023. She led her party to victory in the elections of March 2021.  Ms. Kaag has held a wide range of senior positions in the United Nations system. From 2015 to 2017, she was the United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon, and from 2013 to 2015, she was Special Coordinator of the Joint Organization for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and the United Nations Mission in Syria. She served as Assistant Secretary-General with the United Nations Development Programme from 2010 to 2013 and as Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Jordan from 2007 to 2010. Prior to that, Ms. Kaag served in several senior positions with UNICEF, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. Ms. Kaag holds a Master’s of Art in Middle East Studies from the University of Exeter, a Master of Philosophy in International Relations from Oxford University and a Bachelor of Arts in Middle East Studies from the American University in Cairo. She speaks Dutch, German, French, English, Spanish and Arabic.

Dr Kabila received his MD degree from the University of Kinshasa, DRC in 1989. After a short medical practice in Kinshasa, he immigrated to South Africa in 1991 and went on to practice as a hospitalist and ER physician before attending a Master’s program with the University of Pretoria. He qualified as a Fellow of the College of Family Practitioners of South Africa in 1999 and moved to Canada in 2000 where he obtained certification as a family physician with the College of Family Physicians of Canada in 2003 and practised as a family physician, ER physician and hospitalist for several years. In 2014, he completed training as an Occupational Physician with the University of Alberta, Canada and later in 2015 obtained certification as an Associate of the Canadian Board of Occupational Medicine. He has also held certification as an Independent Medical Examiner with the American Board of Independent Medical Examiners and practiced for several years as an Independent Medical Examiner for Insurance companies, legal firms, fitness to work assessment institutions. Dr Kabila relocated to the DRC and has been working on UHC policy making. He was for a short time appointed as the interim Chief of Staff to the Minister of Health, before being appointed in the President’s office as the Coordinator of the National Council of Universal Health Coverage in June 2023. Shortly after his appointment, the National Council of Universal Coverage launched the country’s free maternity and newborn care benefit package, under the President’s leadership. For the past 18 months has been an active member of the FGHI process and of the Lusaka Agenda Working Group.

Dr. Ammar Kahf: Co-founder and Executive Director of Omran Center for Strategic Studies- a Syria focused policy research center based in Turkey and USA. Dr. Kahf is also a co-founding Board Member of Syrian Forum, a civil society empowerment and development organization in Syria, Turkey and the US. He earned his Ph.D. in Political Science and Islamic Studies, University of California, Los Angeles. His dissertation research was entitled: Syrian Authoritarianism: Persistence or Change. His research work focusses on geopolitical political alignments in Middle East, political process, and local governance in Syria. Omran regularly engages in local and regional dialogues and conversations on public policies that furthers the Syria cause, elevates the voice of Syrians, and develop nuanced technical approaches to the peace process. Omran publishes papers with a whole-of-Syria approach on economic recovery, governance reforms, judicial and security reforms, social contract discourses, return of refugees, and military-civil relations.

A career diplomat for the Egyptian government, Nasser Kamel held the position of Ambassador of Egypt to the United Kingdom from 2014 to 2018. He was also Ambassador to France in the period 2006-2012, during which he took part in the drafting of the Joint Declaration of the 2008 Paris Summit that marked the launch of the Union for the Mediterranean. Furthermore, between 2012 and 2014, he was Assistant Minister for Arab and Middle Eastern Affairs. From 2004 to 2006, he was the Director of Egypt’s Public Information Service. Prior to this position he served in various embassies, including Washington (1984-1988), Lisbon (1990-1994), Tunis (1994-1998), Brussels (1999-2001) and Paris (2001-2004).Mr Kamel studied Political Science at Brussels University (1977-1979) and Cairo University’s Faculty of Economics and Political Science, obtaining his bachelor’s degree in 1981. He graduated from the Diplomatic Institute – Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Cairo (1981-1982) and the École Nationale d’Administration (ENA) in Paris (1982-1983).He holds the title of Grand Officier de l’Ordre National du Mérite of the Republic of France and has also received decorations from the Kingdom of Belgium and the Republic of Portugal. He is fluent in Arabic, English and French. He is married and has two children. 

Adjunct professor and Director of Interfaith Peacebuilding for World Religions, Diplomacy, George Mason University.   President of TASTAKEL women's organization for women empowerment and peacebuilding.  Former Deputy head of the Syrian Negotiation Commission’s Geneva Office and a former member of the High Negotiations Committee (HNC). Currently,  serves on the governing board of Interpesce.   A non resident visitor fellow at the Atlantic Council.

Shinkai Karokhail is a prominent women’s rights activist who served as a member of the Afghan Parliament for 16 years. She was later appointed as the Afghan Ambassador to Canada. In addition, she co-founded and served as the Director of the Afghan Women’s Education Center (AWEC) for four years and was also an active member of the Afghan Women’s Network (AWN). Shinkai Karokhail launched a national campaign, “Let’s Fight Against Cancer,” in collaboration with other notable figures and medical professionals in Afghanistan. Her efforts, in partnership with healthcare professionals, led to the establishment of the first Afghanistan Cancer Foundation (ACF) and the creation of an Oncology Ward at Jamhooriat Public Hospital in Kabul in October 2016. During her time in parliament, Shinkai Karokhail, along with her colleagues and women’s rights activists, founded the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus. Their collective efforts resulted in the approval of the National Action Plan for the Women of Afghanistan (NAPWA) by the government. She was also involved in drafting the Elimination of Violence Against Women (EVAW) Law, which was enacted by Presidential Decree in 2009. Additionally, Karokhail played a crucial role in amending 50 articles of the Shiite Personal Status Law. Ms. Karokhail has been the recipient of several prestigious awards from both national and international organizations for her work in advancing women’s rights since 1990. In October 2016, she was recognized by the First Lady of Afghanistan and the Ministry of Public Health for her contributions to the fight against cancer. In May 2014, she received the Malalai Kakar Human Rights Award from the Queens-based organization Women for Afghan Women. Furthermore, in August 2014, the Afghan American Women’s Association (AAWA), based in Virginia, honored her with a Humanitarian Award for her promotion of women’s rights in Afghanistan. In September 2012, the EastWest Institute, a U.S.-based NGO, presented her and Dr. Fehmida Mirza, Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan, with a joint award for Value-Based Leadership. Additionally, in December 2015, on International Anti-Corruption Day, the Civil Society Coordination Center (CSCC) awarded Karokhail an Anti-Corruption Award. Her exceptional work in advancing women’s rights has also been recognized by various media outlets, including the renowned TV channel AREZO in northern Afghanistan. Ms Karokhail was elected to Parliament for the third time, representing Kabul province. She was also the chairperson and founder of the Afghan Parliamentary Women’s Caucus in 2007 and 2019. Shinkai Karokhail remains a strong advocate for women’s rights and human rights through various platforms. She is a member of Together Stronger, CFFA, and CAF.

Made an early commitment to fight for national liberation and led a military struggle that ended the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. 18 August 2017, sworn in for third term as President of the Republic of Rwanda. Has transformed Rwanda into a nation that is progressing rapidly towards its ambitious vision for socioeconomic development, peace and reconciliation. 2010-15, Chair, United Nations Secretary-General's Advisory Group on the Millennium Development Goals. Co-Chair, International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Broadband Commission. July 2016, appointed by African Union member states to lead the ongoing reforms process aimed at transforming the African Union into an efficient, productive and financially independent institution. Addresses regional and international audiences on a range of developmental and leadership issues. Recipient of honours and awards for leadership in peace building and reconciliation, development, good governance, promotion of human rights and women’s empowerment, and advancement of education and information and communications technologies. Interests: tennis; football.

İbrahim Kalın was born in 1971 in Istanbul. After his graduation from Istanbul University Department of History, he earned his master’s degree at the International Islamic University Malaysia.  He was conferred the title of Doctor  at the George Washington University in 2002 and Professor  at İbn Haldun University in 2020. He gave lectures  at several universities including Georgetown, Bilkent, and İbn Haldun Universities. He became a member of board of overseers  at Ahmet Yesevi International Turkish-Kazakh University and Turkish-Japanese Science and Technology University. He established and chaired SETA Foundation (Political, Economic, and Social Research Foundation) in 2005. İbrahim Kalın wrote several  papers, articles, and books, which have been translated into several languages and published on international academic media; presented papers at various councils, congresses, conferences, and panels; and contributed in workshops. İbrahim Kalın wrote articles and books in disciplines such as the Turkish foreign policy, politics, philosophy, and history, and contributed to literature in these fields with his  recent works.Apart from his assignment as Director of the National Intelligence Organization in June 2023, from 2009 onwards İbrahim Kalın also served as Chief Foreign Policy Advisor to the Prime Minister , Coordinator of the Office of Public Diplomacy, of which he was also a founder, Deputy Undersecretary  for Foreign Relations and Public Diplomacy at the Office of the Prime Minister, Deputy Secretary General Responsible for Strategy and International Relations at the Office of the President,  Acting Chairman of the Presidential Council for Security and Foreign Policies, and Chief Advisor  for Security and Foreign Policies at the Office of the President, respectively. In addition to his duties in bureaucracy, he also continued to serve as Presidential Spokesperson, a position he had assumed in 2014 with the title of ambassador, until he was appointed as Director of the National Intelligence Organization. İbrahim Kalın speaks English, Arabic, Farsi, and French.

Bilahari Kausikan spent his entire career in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Singapore (MFA). Over 37 years in MFA, he served in a variety of appointments at home and abroad. These included Ambassador to the Russian Federation, Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York, Deputy Secretary for South-east Asia, Second Permanent Secretary, and subsequently Permanent Secretary. Upon retiring in 2013, he was appointed Ambassador-at-Large, a position he held until 2018. Mr Kausikan became Chairman of the Middle East Institute (MEI), an autonomous institute of the National University of Singapore, in 2017, and retired in 2024, but remains associated with the institute as Honorary Fellow.  Mr Kausikan has published three books -- “Dealing with an Ambiguous World” (2016), “Singapore Is Not An Island” (2017) and “Singapore Is Still Not An Island” (2023) -- along with many articles in local and international journals. He continues to lecture on global geopolitics, and developments in North-east Asia, the Middle East, and South-east Asia, to universities and other educational institutions in Singapore and abroad, as well as corporations and financial institutions. Raffles Institution, the University of Singapore and Columbia University all attempted to educate him, but should not be held responsible for the consequences.

Alicia Kearns is Shadow Minister for National Security and Safeguarding and the Member of Parliament for Rutland and Stamford.  Prior to her election Alicia worked in counter-terrorism and counter-hostile state activity at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and for allied Governments and alliances as a consultant across the Middle East and North Africa, Eastern Europe and the Western Balkans.  Alicia previously chaired the Foreign Affairs Select Committee and currently chairs the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Arbitrary Detention and Hostage Affairs.

Michael Keating is Executive Director of the European Institute of Peace, an independent body partnering with the European Union and European states as a resource to promote and provide practical support for more effective approaches to conflict prevention, resolution and mediation.  Until September 2018, he was the Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia.  His career has been divided between the private and public sectors. Until 2015, he was an Associate Director at Chatham House in London. Between 2010-15, he worked as an advisor to conflict mediation bodies, including Intermediate and Search for Common Ground. From 2008 – 10, he was the Executive Director of the Africa Progress Panel, a policy group chaired by Kofi Annan.  His UN career has included assignments in Kabul as Deputy SRSG, in Lilongwe, Jerusalem/Gaza, New York, Geneva, Islamabad and Mogadishu. His private sector experience includes five years in financial publishing in the City of London; in television as associate producer on documentaries broadcast by the BBC, Channel Four; and running a management and communication consultancy.  He was born in Uganda, educated in the UK and has a Master of Arts in History from the University of Cambridge.

Ms. Mona Ali Khalil is a respected public international lawyer with more than 30 years of United Nations and other international experience and a unique combination of expertise in peacekeeping, peace enforcement, counter-terrorism and WMD disarmament. Between 1993 and 2015, she served as a Senior Legal Officer of the UN Office of the Legal Counsel where she led the peacekeeping team and the sanctions team. She also served on successive special assignments involving the conflicts in Iraq, Libya and Syria. She was seconded to the International Atomic Energy Agency from 2005 to 2009 where she promoted nuclear security and ensured compliance with the nuclear non-proliferation sanctions regimes. She founded MAK LAW INTERNATIONAL in 2018, a strategic consulting service advising governments and UN system organizations. She has co-authored several publications including on the Protection of Civilians (Oxford University Press); The Future of Diplomacy after Covid-19 (Routledge); Reinvigorating the United Nations (Routledge); Empowering the UN Security Council (Oxford University Press) as well as Reforming the UN Security Council (UNA-UK) and the United Nations Security Council Conflict Management Handbook (AGDA-UAE).She has an A.B. in Government and an A.M. in Middle East Studies from Harvard University as well as an M.S. in Foreign Service and a Juris Doctorate from Georgetown University. She is an Affiliate of the Harvard Law School Program on International Law and Armed Conflict and lectures regularly at the Vienna Diplomatic Academy and the United Nations University. She is a Saudi citizen of Palestinian origin residing in Vienna, Austria.

Founder and President of the Emirates Policy Center (EPC), one of the most influential think tanks in the Arab world. She is a Professor of Political Science at the United Arab Emirates University. Dr. Al-Ketbi is widely regarded as part of the distinguished political elite in the United Arab Emirates and the wider Gulf region. She served as a member of the Consultative Commission of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) from 2015 to 2024.  In July 2018, the Arabian Business magazine featured her among the 50 Most Influential Women in the Arab world. In 2019, Dr. Al-Ketbi received the Women Super Achiever Award during the World Women Leadership Congress. In 2021, she was named Advisor to the Global Commission for Post-Pandemic Policy. In January 2023, Dr. Al-Ketbi was named an Advisory Board Member of T20 International. She is currently a Member of the Board of Directors of the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, the Global Advisory Board of the Observer Research Foundation in India, the Advisory Council of the Middle East Institute in Washington, the International Advisory Board of the Italian Med-Or Foundation, and the Indo-Pacific Civil Society Forum (IPCSF). She has also been accepted as a Global Member in the non-governmental “Trilateral Commission (Europe).”Dr. Al-Ketbi has recently published four books: The UAE’s Role in Empowering Religious Diplomacy (2023), The UAE Power Building Model: Mohamed bin Zayed’s Vision (2022), The UAE Power-Building Model and Foreign Policy Shifts (2021), and Iran and the Biden Administration: A Potential Return to Negotiations (2021). 

Haneen Khatib embarked on her football journey at the age of 11, representing her home country, Jordan, as a player in the U-14 Women's National team. Her passion for sports and giving back to her community have been her driving force ever since. Years later, Haneen started building her career with the aim of using sports for positive social change and creating more opportunities for all. and that has started by being co-moderators in various sports courses within refugee camps through The UEFA Foundation. Shortly thereafter, she was assigned to work at the first FIFA World Cup in the Middle East, the U-17 Women's World Cup in 2016 which took place in Amman, Jordan. In 2017, Haneen joined Equal Playing Field, becoming a part of their initiative to raise awareness, promote women's football, and advocate for gender equality in sports. Notably, she was one of four Arab footballers among 30 international players who participated in the highest-altitude football match in history at Mt. Kilimanjaro, a feat that earned her a place in the Guinness World Records. In 2018, Haneen and her colleagues succeeded in bringing the initiative to Jordan and organizing the lowest-altitude football match in history at the Dead Sea. Beyond the game itself, the initiative successfully conducted four football clinics in different rural areas of Jordan, benefitting nearly 700 young girls. This match also earned a Guinness World Record recognition. Since then, Haneen has continued her work in national and international institutions in the field of sport and development, striving to empower and create a brighter future for local coaches, physical education teachers, and youth. Her impact extends both on and off the playing field, leaving a real social change through sport. For the past two years, Haneen has been dedicated to the international platform sportanddev, working to strengthen and highlight sport for development in the Middle East and North Africa, with a strong focus on Arabic content and resources

A professor of digital media and political and social transformations, advisor to the President of Qatar University. She serves as the Executive Director of the Committee for the Development of the Journalism and Digital Media Terminology Dictionary. Her areas of expertise include digital communication, AI and new innovations, new media’s role in social and political movements, particularly in the Middle East and Gulf countries. She has led media initiatives, published books and research in media and artificial intelligence and has presented numerous papers at local and international conferences.

Imane Khelif, born in 1999 in Tiaret, Algeria, is a trailblazing Algerian boxer. Growing up in a rural and conservative environment, she initially excelled in soccer despite societal resistance to women participating in sports. This background, coupled with challenges such as financial hardships, eventually led her to boxing. Inspired by her natural agility and determination, she began training at 16 despite her father’s disapproval. Her mother supported her ambitions, helping her raise funds for transportation to training sessions. Khelif’s career took off quickly, and by 2018, after just three years of training, she competed in the AIBA World Championships. She later represented Algeria at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and won multiple gold medals in international competitions. At the Paris 2024 Olympics, she made history as Algeria’s first female gold medalist in boxing and the first boxer from the country to achieve this since 1996.   Beyond her achievements in sports, Imane serves as a UNICEF ambassador, advocating for children’s rights and encouraging young people, particularly girls, to pursue their dreams despite societal or financial obstacles. Her story is a powerful example of resilience and determination.

Nasser Al Khori leads the Generation Amazing Foundation, the human and social legacy project of the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, stemming from the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™. His leadership has propelled the foundation to leverage football's transformative power for social development, focusing on empowering youth in underprivileged communities worldwide, including those affected by displacement such as refugees and IDPs. Nasser's strategic direction has been crucial in forging significant partnerships, notably with CONCACAF and the IFRC, to broaden the foundation's global impact.  With a rich background in the non-profit sector, Nasser played a pivotal role in launching Doha Debates and other initiatives under Qatar Foundation. His expertise in sports governance and social responsibility is further recognized through his role as the State of Qatar National Focal Point for the Global Sports Programme at the United Nations Office of Counter Terrorism (UNOCT) and his appointment to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Chair dedicated to sport governance and social responsibility in and through sport, particularly focusing on Policy and Impact. Nasser also sits on the Advisory Board of the United Nations Football for the Goals’ Advisory Foundation.  Nasser holds an MBA in Educational Leadership from UCL’s Institute of Education and a Bachelor of Science from Carnegie Mellon University, credentials that underscore his commitment to integrating education, sports, and social and policy development.

Joël Arthur Kiendrébéogo is a medical doctor and health economist with 15 years of professional experience. After clinical medical practice at health district level, Joël started his career as a health economist in Chad in 2012 as deputy manager of the performance-based financing (RBF) pilot project in the country. Joël then worked as a researcher at the Centre MURAZ (Burkina Faso) from 2014 to 2017, as an Early Childhood Development (ECD) fellow at the World Bank office in Burkina Faso from 2017 to 2019, as a lecturer and researcher at the University Joseph Ki-Zerbo in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) since 2017, and as a researcher at Research for Health and Development (RESADE) in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) since 2019. In 2024, Dr Kiendrébéogo was appointed Technical Secretary for Health Financing Reform at the Ministry of Health of Burkina Faso. During his career, Joël has collaborated with several national and international research teams and has been a consultant for many international organizations. Joël’s areas of expertise and interest include health financing, health economics, health policy and systems analysis and reform, and health economic evaluations.

Akif Çağatay Kılıç was born in 1976 in Siegen, Germany. He studied economics and political sciences at the University of Hertfordshire in the UK. Akif Çağatay Kılıç served as an advisor and deputy chief of cabinet to H.E. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan then PM and Founding Leader of the Justice and Development Party and the current President of the Republic of Turkey. Akif Çağatay Kılıç was appointed Minister of Youth and Sports for the 61st Government of the Republic of Turkey on 25 December 2013. He remained in office for 62nd and 63rd Governments of the Republic of Turkey under Prime Ministry. Re-elected MP from Samsun Province for the Justice and Development Party for the 25th and 26th parliamentary term, Akif Çağatay Kılıç was appointed again the Minister of Youth and Sports for the 64th and 65th Governments of the Republic of Turkey until June 2017. In the 27th Parliamentary elections, He performed as the Chairman of the Turkish Delegation to Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the GNAT. He is currently Ambassador and the Chief Adviser on National Security and Foreign Policy to the President. Akif Çağatay Kılıç is fluent in German and English.

Jonah Kokodyniak, Executive Vice President, has more than 15 years of service at the Institute of International Education and currently serves as a member of IIE’s Office of the CEO. He leads several key programs and departments, including IIE’s Corporate and Foundation Programs; Research, Evaluation and Learning; Program Development and Proposal Management; and the Institute’s offices in China, India, Thailand, and Mexico. Jonah oversees IIE’s work on programs that include the Carnegie Africa Diaspora Fellowship, the Ford Global Fellowship, the Qatar Scholarship for Afghanistan Project, the Quad Fellowship, the Odyssey Scholarship, and IIE’s Ukraine response efforts.

Pierre Krähenbühl is Director-General of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), a position he assumed in April 2024. As head of the ICRC's executive body, he is responsible for steering the organisation's global humanitarian activities and its 18,000 staff in more than 100 countries, with a yearly budget of over USD 2.1 billion. Mr. Krähenbühl has dedicated more than 30 years to the humanitarian sector, including 25 years in prominent roles at the ICRC in delegations and at headquarters. His previous leadership appointments at the ICRC include director of operations (2002-2014) and personal adviser to the President of the ICRC (2000-2002). Mr. Krähenbühl also carried out various operational assignments in El Salvador, Peru, Afghanistan, and Bosnia and Herzegovina (1991-1998); and as head of operations for Central and South-Eastern Europe, based in Geneva (1998-2000). Immediately prior to holding the Director-General position, Mr. Krähenbühl was secretary-general to the Assembly at the ICRC (2023-2024). He served as the personal envoy of the ICRC President to China and head of regional delegation for East Asia (2021-2023). In 2014 he was appointed as commissioner-general and under-secretary general of the United Nations at UNWRA (2014-2019). He holds an MA in political science and international relations from the University of Geneva and Graduate Institute of International Relations.

Ghassan Kosta is a senior leader at Google Cloud who joined the company in 2020 as General Manager for the Cloud Enterprise Business across Qatar, Oman, Iraq and Bahrain. His objective is to build the new Google Cloud region in Qatar and help businesses across the Gulf. As a member of the senior leadership team at Google Cloud in the META region, Ghassan is responsible for driving step-change growth through strategic partnerships and initiatives. In a high-growth environment, he brings strong market experience in managing successful teams and leading great revenue growth. He has successfully launched the Google Cloud business and has taken part in major digital transformation projects for enterprise and public sector entities. Ghassan has over 20 years of IT experience in the enterprise field, and has held various account management, management, and leadership positions in multinational organizations such as EMC, Dell Technologies, and now at Google.

Prof. Osama is a senior policy advisor and analyst at Qatar Armed Forces Strategic Studies Centre, with the focus on Advanced Technology, Cyber Security, National Security and International Relations. Prof. Osama is specialized in Middle East affairs and the USA policies towards the region. He is also a Technologist and Strategist, having worked with leading High-Tech Companies in the US and Canada for over 20 years. Prof. Osama obtained his MSc. and PhD in Wireless Computer Communications from Queen's University in Canada, in wireless algorithm design and multiple access management/optimization. Prof. Osama holds three Patents, many proprietary designed algorithms, and published more than 70 articles. Prof. Osama has published a book Titled “The Second Taliban Era in Afghanistan: Identifying Risks and Opportunities”, and contributed a chapter-book in the book titled "Islamists and Arab Revolutions: Revival Readings from Home and Abroad". Prof. Osama is a writer, a speaker, and appears constantly on TV channels and conferences discussing Middle East Affairs and the future perspectives.

Robert Kupiecki, is a professional diplomat since 1994, currently undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland, responsible for security policy. He coordinates issues related to the Common Foreign and Security Policy as well as the Common Security and Defence Policy. He acts as the Political Director of the MFA.  Undersecretary Kupiecki supervises cooperation with the US and Canada as well as support for Ukraine and foreign aspects of Poland's defence preparations. He represents the Minister of Foreign Affairs at meetings of the Committee of the Council of Ministers for National Security and Defence and in the work of the Cyber Security Committee. He was an intern and an expert at the MFA's Department of Planning and Analyses, Head of Unit and Deputy Director of the European Institutions Department, deputy ambassador to NATO (1999-2004), Director of the Security Policy Department (2004-2008), Poland's Ambassador in Washington (2008-2012). Deputy Minister of National Defence responsible for, among other things, the ministry's strategic planning and international activity (2012-2015). He received a master's degree from the Faculty of History at the University of Warsaw, and a PhD in political science, a professor of the University of Warsaw at the Faculty of Political Science and International Studies. He also graduated from Poland's National School of Public Administration and the Geneva Centre for Security Policy.  In 2011 he defended his habilitation degree. An author of books and papers on international relations, security, and history.  He speaks English and Russian.

Rajat is a Co-founder and the Chief Executive Officer of Space Machines Company, which is building a “Roadside Assist in Space” capability to service and protect critical space infrastructure and ensure their availability to enable key on-earth capabilities. In March 2024, Optimus, the first demonstrator spacecraft and the largest single Australian-designed and built satellite, launched on the SpaceX Transporter-10 Mission. Rajat is also the founding partner of 11point2, delivering entrepreneurial innovation to major corporations in sectors such as energy and resources. The firm is dedicated to innovating solutions for complex challenges, with a strong commitment to environmental sustainability, energy transformation, and public welfare. 11point2 collaborates exclusively with partners focused on making a positive impact on climate change, decarbonization, national security, and health. Throughout his diverse career, Rajat has held various roles, including investor, advisor, founder, director, and executive across technology-driven sectors. He trained as an aerospace engineer and his professional experience spans from a senior technology, product, and research leader at Microsoft to being an early senior executive and co-founder of 3 start-ups. He has managed businesses across multiple international markets to drive growth and profitability. His leadership extends beyond corporate roles, serving as an advisor for digital health and cybersecurity platforms.

Is an expert in humanitarian aid and international cooperation with experience in government administration, non-government organization and private sector. In November 2024, I have been seconded to Qatar Charity, where I am currently the Manager of Humanitarian Operations. From 2019 to 2024, I have been working with Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD), where I have worked in the area of humanitarian aid and international cooperation. My career started in 2014 with airline industry. One of which I established a strong professional career in airport operations, project management and partnerships. From 2021 to 2022, I operated as International Organization Head at the QFFD. I led program development, assessment and monitoring, develop and maintain partnerships with key partners including UN, INGOs and governmental partners, needs assessment mission to The Philippines. In addition, I ran Qatar Creating Vision Initiative and co-managed the Nanmo Partnership with Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. From March 2022 to November 2024, I operated as Manager of Humanitarian Aid Department at the QFFD. I have provided strategic and policy advice on humanitarian issues, needs and emergencies; Directed and lead the relief efforts in Sudan, Gaza and Lebanon. During my career, I was a delegate for Qatar in several international conferences, committees and grouping, including The Global Refugee Forum, The Global Fund Board and Audit and Finance Committee, The Lives and Livelihoods Fund Impact Committee and 2019-2024 at the UN-OCHA Donors’ Support Group (ODSG). My education spans an executive masters in Development Policy and Practices at the Geneva Graduate Institute, an (M.A) in Islam and Global Affairs at Hamad Bin Khalifa University and (B.A.) in international Relation and Political Science at University of Birmingham.

Laura Kyle joined Al Jazeera English in 2006 and was a producer on the first bulletin of the channel. She reported extensively across the Asia region on major stories including Cyclone Nargis, the China milk scandal, the illegal wildlife trade, tribal violence in Papua New Guinea and the Fukushima nuclear disaster.

Tomas Lamanauskas is Deputy Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union, elected at the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference of 2022, and taking up duties as of January 2023.His 25 years of experience spans across sectors of telecoms and digital policy, regulation and strategy, stemming from executive level positions in agencies, companies, and organizations across Europe, the Middle East, the Caribbean and the Pacific region. As Deputy Secretary-General of ITU, Tomas focuses on the financial sustainability and operational excellence of the organization. He also works to raise the digital industry’s ambition in fighting the climate crisis through the Green Digital Action initiative and promotes investments into the digital infrastructure as well as digital resilience through the Digital Infrastructure Investment Initiative and other efforts. Additionally, Tomas contributes to the global efforts to harness the opportunities and mitigate challenges of new technologies, in particular Artificial Intelligence, including through his role as a co-chair of the United Nations Inter-Agency Working Group on AI. He is also playing a key role in ensuring ITU’s support to other UN-wide development and governance efforts, including through the World Summit of the Information Society process and membership at the Operational Steering Committee of the UN Joint SDG Fund. Tomas holds Master’s Degrees in Public Administration (Harvard), Leadership and Strategy (London Business School), Telecommunications Regulation and Policy (The University of the West Indies) and Law (Vilnius University).

Christina Lamb is one of Britain’s leading foreign journalists as well as a bestselling author. Her dispatches with the Afghan mujaheddin fighting the Soviet Union saw her named Young Journalist of the Year at the age of 22. She has since reported everywhere from Iraq to Ukraine, Israel to Zimbabwe and been awarded Foreign Correspondent of the Year seven times as well as Europe’s top war reporting prize, the Prix Bayeux, the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award by the Society of Editors and the Chesney Gold Medal for promoting the understanding of war.She has always particularly focused on what war does to women, and her book Our Bodies, Their Battlefields about sexual violence in conflict was described by leading historian Antony Beevor as ‘the most powerful book’ he had ever read and recommended by Queen Camilla in a speech. She has written ten books including co-authoring the international bestseller I Am Malala. She is a Global envoy for UN Education Cannot Wait, Honorary Fellow of University College Oxford, on the board of the Institute for War and Peace Reporting, and an Associate of the Imperial War Museum and was awarded an OBE in 2013.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Born in 1950, Russian. 1972 – graduated from the USSR Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Moscow State Institute of International Relations. Has command of English, French and Sinhalese. Started his career in 1972 at the Soviet Embassy in Sri Lanka. 1976-1981 – worked in the Department of International Organizations of the USSR Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 1981-1988 – First Secretary, Counselor and Senior Counselor in the Permanent Representation of the USSR at the UN. 1988-1990 – Deputy Head of the Department of International Economic Relations of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 1990-1992 – Director of the Foreign Ministry's Department of International Organizations and Global Problems. 1992-1994 – Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation. 1994-2004 – Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation at the United Nations. Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation since 2004. Has the rank of the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation. Decorated with government awards. Married, with one daughter.

Joris Larik is Assistant Professor of Comparative, EU and International Law at Leiden University in the Netherlands and Senior Advisor and Nonresident Fellow for the Global Governance, Justice & Security Program at the Stimson Center in Washington, D.C. His research focuses on EU external relations, other regional organizations on the global stage, and global governance reform. His work has been acknowledged with several awards, including NATO’s Manfred Wörner Essay Award, the Mauro Cappelletti Prize for the Best Doctoral Thesis in Comparative Law from the European University Institute, and recently the GCSP Prize for Transformative Futures in Peace and Security. In 2022, Dr. Larik was appointed to both the Committee on European Integration of the Dutch Advisory Council on International Affairs (AIV) and the European Commission’s pool of arbitrators for disputes in the framework of bilateral trade agreements. Dr. Larik is the author and editor of several books, including with Oxford and Cambridge University Press. He has published in leading international journals, including American Journal of International Law, European Journal of International Law, European Foreign Affairs Review, International & Comparative Law Quarterly, Legal Issues of Economic Integration, and Survival. He appears regularly in the Dutch and international media for commentary, including NPO Radio 1, Volkskrant, Al Jazeera, BBC World Service, CBC News, EU Observer, The Guardian, The Irish Times, Radio New Zealand, and Xinhua.

On 18 March 2020, Mr Philippe Lazzarini was appointed UnderSecretary-General of the United Nations and Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) by United Nations SecretaryGeneral António Guterres. Prior to his appointment to UNRWA, Mr Lazzarini served, from August 2015, as the Deputy UN Special Coordinator (UNSCOL) and as the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Lebanon. Mr Lazzarini has over 30 years of professional experience, including in leadership positions with the United Nations, the private sector and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). He has extensive experience in humanitarian assistance and international coordination in conflict and post-conflict areas at senior levels, including through his assignment to the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia as Deputy Special Representative, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, from 2013 to 2015. He joined the United Nations in Iraq in 2003 and since then has held a number of senior positions, both at Headquarters in New York, and in Angola, Somalia and the occupied Palestinian territory. Prior to joining the United Nations, he worked with Union Bancaire Privée in Geneva as Head of the Marketing Department. From 1989 to 1999, Mr Lazzarini worked with ICRC as the Deputy Head of Communications in Geneva, Head of Delegation in Rwanda, Angola, and Sarajevo, and as a delegate in Southern Sudan, Jordan, Gaza, and Beirut. He started his professional career in 1987 as an economist with the Canton of Bern in Switzerland. Mr Lazzarini is a graduate of the University of Neuchatel and of the University of Lausanne, and he is married with four children.

Prof. Hilal A. Lashuel is the Research Development and Innovation Advisor to the Chairperson of Qatar Foundation and Executive Director of RDI at the Chairperson’s Office. He also directs the Laboratory of Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration at EPFL and is Founder and CEO of ND Biosciences SA. Prof. Lashuel received his B.Sc. in Chemistry from the City University of New York and completed his Ph.D. at Texas A&M University and the Scripps Research Institute. He held research positions at the Picower Institute, Harvard Medical School, and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. At EPFL since 2005, his research focuses on understanding protein misfolding in neurodegenerative diseases and developing therapies and diagnostics. He has served in leadership roles at Qatar Biomedical Research and Qatar Genome Project and advised on several national and international scientific committees. Prof. Lashuel has authored over 225 publications, holds nine patents, and has delivered over 250 invited lectures. His work has been widely recognized with awards, including the Kuwait Prize in Biological Sciences and the Takreem Foundation's Scientific Achievement Award. He is also a Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum.

Tim Lenderking is the U.S. Special Envoy for Yemen. Mr. Lenderking previously served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Arabian Peninsula Affairs in the Near East Bureau at the U.S. Department of State. He is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service. Mr. Lenderking served previously as the Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from 2013-2016. He served as the Director of the Pakistan Office at the Department of State from 2010-2013. From 2008-2010, Mr. Lenderking completed two tours in Baghdad, the first as the Senior Democracy Advisor at the US Embassy, and the second as the Policy Advisor to LTG Charles Jacoby, Commanding General of Multi-National Forces Iraq (MNF-I), based at Camp Victory. Before his Iraq tours, Mr. Lenderking served as the Economic Counselor and Acting Deputy Chief of Mission at US Embassy Kuwait. He was also the Political Counselor at Embassy Rabat from 2002-2006. Mr. Lenderking’s other tours in the Foreign Service include serving as the Special Assistant to Under Secretary for Political Affairs Marc Grossman 2001-2002, as the Lebanon Desk Officer 2000-2001, and as a Watch Officer in the Operations Center. Mr. Lenderking also served in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and in Damascus, Syria. Mr. Lenderking joined the Foreign Service in 1993 after a career in the refugee field, where he held numerous positions with American NGOs and with the United Nations in New York, Sudan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Thailand. Mr. Lenderking received a Master's degree in History and International Relations from the University of Washington in 1989 and a Bachelor's Degree with Honors from Wesleyan University in 1985. He is the recipient of the Presidential Merit Award, nine Superior Honor Awards from the Department of State and the Meritorious Civilian Service Award from the Department of the Army for his service in Iraq.

Mark Leonard is co-founder and director of the European Council on Foreign Relations, the first pan-European think–tank. He is also the current Henry A Kissinger chair in foreign policy and international relations at the US Library of Congress, Washington DC. His topics of focus include geopolitics and geoeconomics, China, EU politics and institutions. Leonard hosts the weekly podcast “Mark Leonards’s World in 30 Minutes” and writes a syndicated column on global affairs for Project Syndicate. Previously he worked as director of foreign policy at the Centre for European Reform and as director of the Foreign Policy Centre, a think-tank he founded at the age of 24 under the patronage of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. In the 1990s, Leonard worked for the think-tank Demos where his Britain™ report was credited with launching Cool Britannia. Mark has spent time in Washington, D.C. as a Transatlantic Fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the United States, and in Beijing as a visiting scholar at the Chinese Academy for Social Sciences.  He was Chairman of the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on Geoeconomics until 2016.  Honored as a “Young Global Leader” of the World Economic Forum, he spends a lot of time helping governments, companies, and international organizations make sense of the big geo-political trends of the twenty-first century. He is a regular speaker and prolific writer and commentator on global issues, the future of Europe, China’s internal politics, and the practice of diplomacy and business in a networked world. His essays have appeared in publications such as Foreign Affairs, the Financial Times, the New York Times, Le Monde, Süddeutsche Zeitung, El Pais, Gazeta Wyborcza, Foreign Policy, the New Statesman, the Daily Telegraph, The Economist, Time, and Newsweek. As well as writing and commenting frequently in the media on global affairs, Leonard is the author of best-selling books. His first book, Why Europe will run the 21st Century, was published in 2005 and translated into 19 languages. Leonard’s second book, What does China think? was published in 2008 and translated into 15 languages. He has published an edited volume on Connectivity Wars and in September 2021, his latest book on this topic The Age of Unpeace. How Connectivity Causes Conflict was released.

Jan Lipavský, the current Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, was appointed on December 17, 2021. From 2017 to 2021, he served as a member of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic. He held the position of Vice-Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and Committee on Defence. He was a member of the Standing Commission on Hybrid Threats, the Subcommittee on Defence, Cyber and Security Policy and the Strategic Concept of the Czech Republic, and the Subcommittee on Migration and Asylum Policy. As an MP, he focused mainly on energy and international security issues and hybrid threats. Jan Lipavský is the author of the Czech version of the Magnitsky Act, which allows the imposition of sanctions against foreigners and companies who have committed serious illegal acts. In November 2022, he received the The Magnitsky Human Rights Award for contribution to the protection of human rights. In the same year, he was awarded the Ukrainian Order of Merit. Before entering politics, he worked in the private sector in banking information technology. He worked for companies such as McKinsey & Company, Euro RSCG, ZOOT, Total Solutions and Moro Systems. Mr. Lipavský was born in Prague, where he continues living. He graduated in International Territorial Studies at the Institute of International Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, Charles University. During his studies he spent a year at the University of Kent in the United Kingdom. He has a daughter.

Daniel Levy is the President of the U.S./Middle East Project (USMEP), which advances an Israeli-Palestinian peace in which international legality and equality is upheld, respecting the rights of all people. That alongside regional conflicts, trends and geopolitics. From 2012 to 2016, Levy was Director for the Middle East and North Africa at the European Council on Foreign Relations. Prior to that he was a senior Fellow and Director of the New America Foundation’s Middle East Taskforce in Washington D.C. Levy was born and educated in the UK where he has returned to residing and where he graduated with an MA and BA from King's College, Cambridge with awards

Charles Lister is a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, where he is the Director of the Syria and Counterterrorism programs. His work focuses on all-things Syria and on issues of terrorism and insurgency across the Levant. At MEI, Lister directs two major international initiatives focused on Syria. The "Resolving the Detainee Crisis" initiative seeks to help the international community resolve the unprecedented challenges associated with the detention of 10,000 terrorist fighters and 45,000 associated people in northeast Syria. More than 40 governments and INGOs have engaged in high-level multilateral talks in London, Washington D.C, Vienna and Malta, resulting in decisive policy progress. The "Syria Strategy Project" is coordinating discussions involving 100 subject matter experts and 25 governments and Syrian governing entities aimed at developing a holistic and realistic multilateral approach to resolving Syria’s long-running crisis. Prior to joining MEI, Lister was a Visiting Fellow at the Brookings Institution and a Senior Consultant to the Syria Track II Dialogue Initiative, in which he managed three years of intensive face-to-face engagement with the leaderships of over 100 Syrian armed opposition groups. He previously held other positions at the Brookings Institution and IHS Jane’s in London, UK. Lister’s critically acclaimed book, The Syrian Jihad: Al-Qaeda, the Islamic State and the Evolution of an Insurgency, was published in 2016 by Oxford University Press. He has also published The Islamic State: A Brief Introduction and Winning the Battle, Losing the War: Addressing the Drivers of Non-State Armed Actors and Extremist Groups. He is working on a fourth book on Syria, commissioned by Oxford University Press.

Joshua Lincoln (PhD) is a Senior Fellow with the Center for International Law and Governance (CILG) at the Fletcher School of global affairs, Tufts University. He sits on the board of directors of the Global Governance Forum and the board of advisors of Cambrian Futures, and is a member of the New Carbon Economy Consortium.  He also writes periodically for World Politics Review.  Dr. Lincoln’s current work is on pluralism in multilateralism, global governance, sustainability and geopolitics, including projects on the geopolitical and governance implications of the Net-Zero Energy Transition; the 2022-2025 negotiations for a global plastics treaty; and the geopolitics and reform of multilateral institutions.  Between 2000 and 2013, he worked at the United Nations, including as Chief of Staff to the Director-General of UNOG (Geneva) and Senior Officer in the cabinet of the Secretary-General (New York).  He worked earlier in preventive diplomacy with the UN Cameroon-Nigeria Mixed Commission and peacemaking between both Ethiopia and Eritrea and North and South Sudan.  He has been a researcher for universities, think tanks and institutions including the World Bank, and served from 2013 to 2019 as Secretary-General of the Bahá’í International Community.  He holds degrees from Georgetown University and Tufts University.

Stefan Löfven is Chair of the SIPRI Governing Board as of June 2022. Löfven was the Prime Minister of Sweden from October 2014 to November 2021 and leader of the Social Democratic Party from 2012 to 2021. His background includes extensive experience from various domestic and international assignments. In 2022, he was appointed by the United Nations Secretary-General to co-lead a High-level Advisory Board on Effective Multilateralism in preparation for the Summit of the Future. He was previously the International Secretary of the Swedish trade union IF Metall and, subsequently, its Chair (2006–12). He was also a board member of the Swedish Trade Union Confederation (2006–12), a board member of the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm (2010–12), Deputy Chair of the Swedish Trade Council (2004–12) and a board member of the Olof Palme International Centre (2002–2006).

Irwin Loy is senior policy editor at The New Humanitarian, a news agency that reports on crises to inform prevention and response. He covers aid policy and what it means for people living in humanitarian emergencies.

Andrew MacLeod is Chairman Emeritus of British based Griffin Law, Non-Executive Director of the Arabian Leopard Fund, founding Director of child protection charity Hear their Cries and a Visiting Professor at Kings College London, amongst other activities. He was a member of the Chatham House/ICRC Expert Panel on Humanitarian Negotiations with Non-State Armed Groups, was an Affiliate Senior Associate to the Center for Strategic International Studies in Washington DC, served on the Advisory Boards of the World Economic Forum’s Future of Civil Society Project Advisory Board, King's College Humanitarian Futures Project and the UN Expert Group on Responsible Business and Investment in High-Risk Areas. His humanitarian activities included time as Chief of Operations of the UN Emergency Coordination Centre in Pakistan, where MacLeod negotiated a complex series of relationships that saw the Pakistan military, international NGOs, UN agencies, US military, UK military and non-state militant groups all playing a role in delivering a successful operation without casualties or conflict. At the International Committee of the Red Cross Macleod served in the Balkans and Rwanda during the 1990s. He set up and ran Law of Armed Conflict training with military units in Rwanda and former Yugoslavia that resulted in a measurable decrease in civilian casualties. Macleod holds a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws from Tasmania University, a Master of Laws from Southampton University, a Graduate Diploma in International Law from Melbourne University, is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and has been elected as an Associate of King's College London (AKC).

Madbouly graduated from Cairo University, receiving a master's degree and PhD from the Faculty of Engineering in 1988 and 1997, respectively. From September 2009 until November 2011, Madbouly was the chairman of the General Authority for Urban Planning at the Ministry of Housing, Utilities and Urban Development; he also was the executive director of the Training and Urban Studies Institute at the Housing and Construction Research Center at the Ministry of Housing.From November 2012 until February 2014, he was the regional director for Arab countries at the United Nations Human Settlements Program.In March 2014 he was appointed Minister of Housing under Prime Minister Ibrahim Mahlab, a post he continued to hold following the appointment of Sherif Ismail as Prime Minister in September 2015.During his tenure as housing minister, the “million housing units” project came to fruition and was one of the major national projects that came into force after President Sisi took office.In November 2017, Madbouly was appointed interim Prime Minister following Sherif Ismail's departure to Germany for medical treatment. Later, he was named Prime Minister.

Bronwen Maddox took up the post of Director and Chief Executive of Chatham House in August 2022.Before joining Chatham House, Bronwen was Director of the Institute for Government (2016-2022), an independent think tank based in London promoting better government. From 2010 to 2016 she was editor and chief executive of Prospect, the monthly current affairs magazine. Before that, she served as chief foreign commentator, foreign editor and US editor at The Times, after a period at the Financial Times where she ran award-winning investigations and wrote economics editorials. Before becoming a journalist, Bronwen was an investment analyst in the City and a director of Kleinwort Benson Securities, where she ran its highly rated team analyzing world media stocks. Bronwen is a Visiting Professor in the Policy Institute at King’s College London, Honorary Governor of Ditchley, an honorary fellow of the British Academy, and a council member of Research England, one of the research councils of UK Research & Innovation. She writes frequent op-ed columns for the Financial Times and broadcasts widely. Bronwen has a degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from St John’s College, Oxford.