Conference Program 2024

H.E. Nawal Al-Hosany

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

Her Excellency Dr. Nawal Al-Hosany Permanent Representative of the UAE to IRENA; Acting Assistant Undersecretary for Green Development and Climate Change, MOCCAE Her Excellency Dr. Nawal Al-Hosany is one of the UAE’s leading figures in national and international efforts to accelerate the transition to a net-zero economy through climate diplomacy. On the international stage, Dr. Al-Hosany is the Permanent Representative of the United Arab Emirates to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), where she supports the Agency’s efforts in making the technological and intellectual case for renewable energy as well as creating funding mechanisms to ensure renewable energy is available to the developing world. As Acting Assistant Undersecretary for Green Development and Climate Change, at the UAE’s Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE), Dr. Al-Hosany helps drive the UAE’s climate action and ambitions, as laid out in the UAE Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative. In addition to her current roles, Dr. Al-Hosany is also an active and prominent member of several key international, regional and local climate-focused boards and committees, including the COP28 UAE Advisory Committee, which brings together the climate expertise of thought leaders from all over the world, the American University of Sharjah (AUS) where she sits on the Board of Trustees, and as the Vice Chair for the Global Council of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). She is also a board member of the Emirates Schools Establishment and the UAE Sailing & Rowing Federation. Dr. Nawal Al-Hosany sits on the advisory council of National Geographic magazine, the advisory board of the Payne Institute in the Colorado School of Mines, and on the advisory panel for the Momentum for Change initiative of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The current positions held by Dr. Al-Hosany are a result of career-long commitment to the public service and climate action. She has built up a portfolio of influence and reach across renewable energy, sustainability and climate in former roles such as the Executive Director of Sustainability at Masdar, Abu Dhabi's leading international renewable energy entity. Between 2011 and 2018, she directed the Zayed Future Energy Prize, now recognized as the Zayed Sustainability Prize, and she remains an active jury member. Additionally, she held the role of Deputy Director General at the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy (AGDA), formerly known as the Emirates Diplomatic Academy (EDA) from 2017 to 2018. The professional achievements and dedication to public service of Dr. Al Hosany have been widely recognized. In July 2018, Dr. Al-Hosany was presented with the Doctor of Letters Honoris Causa from Keele University in the UK in recognition for her achievements in the field of sustainability. Dr Al-Hosany also received the Arab Woman Award and the Emirates Business Women Award. Dr. Al-Hosany is also credited as one of the first two Emirati women to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest free-standing mountain in the world at 5,895 meters above sea-level. Dr Al-Hosany’s personal and professional journey has taken her around world, where she has engaged with key climate and sustainability stakeholders from the Global South to the Global North, East and West, and where she has helped support and shape the discourse on the renewables based transition. Dr. Al-Hosany graduated from the Faculty of Engineering at the UAE University in 1992 and obtained her PhD from Newcastle University in the UK in 2002.

H.E. Ahmed Darwish Al Muhairi

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

DIHAD 2024

H.E. Rashed Mubarak Almansoori

Secretary General of the Emirates Red Crescent (ERC) | United Arab Emirates

Secretary General of the Emirates Red Crescent (ERC)

H.E. Jan Egeland

Secretary-General, Norwegian Refugee Council | Norway

Jan Egeland has been Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) since August 2013, a role which oversees the work of the humanitarian organisation in 40 countries affected by conflict and disaster. Current and previous roles include the Eminent Person of The Grand Bargain initiative (2021- 2023), Chair of the Independent Senior Advisory Panel on humanitarian deconfliction in Syria (2021), and UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator (2003-2006).

H.E. Gerhard Putman-Cramer

CEO of DIHAD Sustainable Humanitarian Foundation and Director of DIHAD International Scientific Advisory Board - DISAB | Switzerland

Currently:  Ambassador, Permanent Observer of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean to the United Nations and other International Organisations in Geneva;  Chief Executive Officer, Dubai International Humanitarian Aid and Development (DIHAD) Sustainable Humanitarian Foundation;  Member, Dubai Council on the Future of Humanitarian Aid (Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives); President of the Finance Committee, Founex Municipal Council, Switzerland; Former member of the Advisory Committee on International Operations of the Swiss Red Cross, of the Board of the Henri Dunant Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue and of the Higher Council of the International Congress for Health Specialties (ICHS); former Senior Associate of the Global Humanitarian Forum, Geneva. In his capacity as Permanent Observer of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM) to the United Nations in Geneva, Ambassador Putman-Cramer provides support to a number of initiatives undertaken by – or aimed at – PAM member states. This involves developing and applying various aspects of parliamentary diplomacy, often as inputs complementary to actions conducted under the auspices of the UN. As the CEO of the DIHAD Sustainable Humanitarian Foundation, Amb. Putman-Cramer spearheads a number of the Foundation’s initiatives (including the newly created DIHAD College) and elaborates as well as oversees the Conference Programme of the annual DIHAD event (www.dihad.org). The most recent Conference (13-15 March 2023) had as its theme: “Energy and Aid, Capitalising on Available Resources”. From 1975 until 2009 Amb. Putman-Cramer was with the United Nations, initially with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and subsequently with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (DHA/OCHA). He served in New York (on 3 separate occasions), in Geneva (also on 3 separate occasions) and in a variety of field locations (including 2 years in Malaysia and 3 years in Madagascar). The last 14 years of his UN career saw him in the position of Chief of OCHA’s Emergency Services (concurrently appointed as Deputy Director, OCHA Geneva), during which time he created and developed a number of effective international response mechanisms and instruments (e.g the United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination Team – UNDAC – and the Civil/Military Coordination concept ) while also reinforcing, together with the concerned authorities in disaster-prone countries, essential response capacities at the community, national and regional levels. During this period also, he led a large number of emergency/disaster response missions to, inter alia, Iraq (in the years 1991-94 and in 2003, as Area Coordinator for the Centre Region), the Caucasus, Tajikistan, Pakistan (the 2005 earthquake), Turkey, Mongolia, Thailand and Indonesia (also in the context of the South-East Asia Tsunami). Amb. Putman-Cramer has a ‘’Diplôme Universitaire en Santé Humanitaire’’ from the University Claude-Bernard in Lyon, a Post-Graduate Diploma (Economics, International Relations and International Law) from the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna, a Post-Graduate Diploma (Economic Development) from the Polytechnic of North London and a B.A. (Hons.) in Literature from Bedford College, University of London. Amb. Putman-Cramer is married and has two daughters.

Mr. Fabrizio Carboni

Regional Director, Middle East and North Africa, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) | United Arab Emirates

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

H.E. Najat Rochdi

Deputy Special Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General for Syria | Syria

Ms. Rochdi brings over 20 years of experience in political affairs and international coordination in conflict and post-conflict areas, including through her current assignment as Deputy Special Envoy for Syria with the Office of the Special Envoy for Syria. Ms. Rochdi served as Deputy Special Coordinator, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, with the Policial Mission UNSCOL in Lebanon. Earlier, she served as Director of Peer to Peer with OCHA in Geneva, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator with Peace Keeping Mission MINUSCA in the Central African Republic, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Cameroon, and Deputy Director of the Representative Office of UNDP in Geneva. Prior to her tenures with the UN, she held senior-level positions in the Moroccan Government, including Deputy Minister of Small and Medium Enterprise, Director General of International Cooperation and Development in the Ministry of Post and Information Technology and Adviser to the Prime Minister. She has also been a professor at the Collège Royal and at the Information Sciences University in Rabat, Morocco. Ms. Rochdi holds a doctorate in information systems from the National Institute of Statistics and of Applied Economics in Rabat, Morocco, and a master’s degree in mathematics and fundamental applications from the University of Paris Sud 11. She is fluent in Arabic, English and French.

Dr. Michael Koehler

Grand Bargain Ambassador, Former Deputy Director-General, ECHO | United Arab Emirates

Since August 2019 Dr Kohler has been Deputy Acting Director-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations in the European Commission’s DG ECHO, in charge of coordinating the world-wide EU humanitarian aid activities. From April 2022 to March 2023, he was Acting Director- General of DG ECHO. In June 2023 Dr Kohler has been appointed Ambassador and co-lead of the Grand Bargain agreement between some of the largest donors and humanitarian organisations who have committed to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the humanitarian action. Previously, from 2015 to 2019, he was Director for EU-Neighbourhood Policy at the Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR) in the European Commission, where he was responsible for cooperation with Mediterranean Arab countries and Israel. From 2013 to 2014, he had been Director for the Eastern and Southern Neighbourhood in the Directorate-General for development and International Cooperation (DG DEVCO), Head of Cabinet to Commissioner for Energy, Günther H. Oettinger between 2010 and 2013 and Head of Cabinet to Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Dr Joe Borg, between 2008 and 2009. Since he joined the European Commission in 1994, Dr Kohler held several positions, including desk officer for Yemen and Iraq; Assistant to the Director for South Mediterranean, Middle and Near East; Deputy European Correspondent; Deputy Head of Unit in charge of the co-ordination of Common Foreign and Security Policy; Deputy Head of Cabinet to Commissioner Borg, Head of Unit for International Affairs and Law of the Sea at the Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries and acting Head of Unit for Maritime Policy for the Mediterranean and Black Sea. Before joining the European Commission, he worked as a representative of Konrad-Adenauer-Foundation in Morocco and Tunisia, and later worked in the Policy Planning Department of the Federal Ministry of Economic Co-operation and Development in Germany. Michael Kohler holds a Dr. Phil. in History and Middle Eastern Studies from Hamburg University (1987). He authored about thirty books, articles in international Islamic studies and foreign policy reviews on aspects of the political, economic and cultural development of the Muslim World, on the Arab League and on regional integration in the Maghreb, co-operation in the Mediterranean and development co-operation. Since 1997 he is a professor for "Europe and the Mediterranean" the College of Europe in Bruges, Belgium, teaches peacebuilding at PSIA/Sciences Po, Paris, and in addition between 2006 and 2016 he served as a senior Fellow of the Center for European Integration Studies at the University of Bonn, Germany.

Hon. Gennaro Migliore

Director, PAM Centre for Global Studies, San Marino | United Arab Emirates

Gennaro Migliore is a distinguished figure in the world of politics, and public service. His career has been marked by a deep commitment to justice, civil liberties, and the welfare of the public. Serving as the Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Justice in Italy from January 29, 2016, to June 1, 2018, he made significant contributions to the legal and social landscape of the country. Early Life and Education: Born on June 21, 1968, in Cosenza, Italy, Gennaro Migliore's upbringing instilled in him a strong sense of responsibility and a passion for justice. He pursued a rigorous education, earning a degree in Theoretical Phisics from the University of Napoli. Legal Career and Expertise: Dr. Migliore's political career was characterized by excellence and a commitment to upholding the principles of justice and the rule of law. His deep understanding of political matters, particularly in the context of constitutional law, made him a respected political expert in that field. Public Service and Ministry of Justice: In 2016, Gennaro Migliore took on a pivotal role in the Italian government as the Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Justice. In this capacity, he played a vital role in shaping policies related to justice reform, civil rights, and the protection of individual liberties. His tenure was marked by a commitment to transparency, accessibility, and fairness in the legal system. Advocate for Civil Liberties: Throughout his career in public service, Dr. Migliore has been a staunch advocate for civil liberties. He has consistently championed the rights of individuals, working to ensure that justice is accessible to all, regardless of their background or circumstances. His efforts have earned him a reputation as a tireless defender of civil rights. Environmental and Social Activism: Beyond his political career, Gennaro Migliore is known for his commitment to environmental sustainability and social justice. He has been actively involved in initiatives related to climate change, sustainability, and community development, underscoring his dedication to a more equitable and environmentally responsible world. Legacy and Ongoing Commitment: Gennaro Migliore's contributions to the social fabric of Italy are enduring. His legacy as a public servant for justice continues to inspire others to pursue positive change in society. He remains dedicated to the principles of fairness, accountability, and the protection of civil liberties. Gennaro Migliore's career reflects a profound dedication to the values of justice, equality, and the welfare of society. His impact on the political landscape of Italy, particularly during his tenure as Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Justice, stands as a testament to his unwavering commitment to public service and the pursuit of a just and equitable society

H.E. Gilles Michaud

United Nations Under Secretary-General, Department of Safety and Security, New York | United Kingdom

Gilles Michaud of Canada took up the role of Under-Secretary-General for Safety and Security with the United Nation on 1 July 2019. In this capacity, Mr. Michaud, leads and coordinates the safety and security operations across the United Nations Security Management System to enable global United Nations program delivery. Previously, in a policing career that spanned over 33 years with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, USG Michaud developed a wealth of experience in transnational organized crime, counter-terrorism, national security, cyber crime and protective policing. He last served in the RCMP as Deputy Commissioner for Federal Policing where he led the development of organizational transformation and managed substantial human, physical, and financial resources at the national and international level. Beyond the United Nations, Mr Michaud has an extensive background in multilateral organizations as the lead on peacekeeping, international capacity-building, and liaison activities for the RCMP and having served on the Executive Committee of INTERPOL. Mr. Michaud is a graduate of the Harvard Kennedy School Executive Program in National and International Security and McGill University’s Executive Development Program. He is a graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) National Executive Institute’s 39th Session, the FBI National Academy’s 213th Session, and the Leadership in Counter-Terrorism Program administered by the FBI National Academy. Mr. Michaud has received numerous awards, including the Governor General’s medal for academic achievements, the Queen’s Jubilee and RCMP Long Service medals. In January 2014, he was appointed to Canada’s Officer of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces.

H.E. Nawal Al-Hosany

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

Her Excellency Dr. Nawal Al-Hosany Permanent Representative of the UAE to IRENA; Acting Assistant Undersecretary for Green Development and Climate Change, MOCCAE Her Excellency Dr. Nawal Al-Hosany is one of the UAE’s leading figures in national and international efforts to accelerate the transition to a net-zero economy through climate diplomacy. On the international stage, Dr. Al-Hosany is the Permanent Representative of the United Arab Emirates to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), where she supports the Agency’s efforts in making the technological and intellectual case for renewable energy as well as creating funding mechanisms to ensure renewable energy is available to the developing world. As Acting Assistant Undersecretary for Green Development and Climate Change, at the UAE’s Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE), Dr. Al-Hosany helps drive the UAE’s climate action and ambitions, as laid out in the UAE Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative. In addition to her current roles, Dr. Al-Hosany is also an active and prominent member of several key international, regional and local climate-focused boards and committees, including the COP28 UAE Advisory Committee, which brings together the climate expertise of thought leaders from all over the world, the American University of Sharjah (AUS) where she sits on the Board of Trustees, and as the Vice Chair for the Global Council of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). She is also a board member of the Emirates Schools Establishment and the UAE Sailing & Rowing Federation. Dr. Nawal Al-Hosany sits on the advisory council of National Geographic magazine, the advisory board of the Payne Institute in the Colorado School of Mines, and on the advisory panel for the Momentum for Change initiative of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The current positions held by Dr. Al-Hosany are a result of career-long commitment to the public service and climate action. She has built up a portfolio of influence and reach across renewable energy, sustainability and climate in former roles such as the Executive Director of Sustainability at Masdar, Abu Dhabi's leading international renewable energy entity. Between 2011 and 2018, she directed the Zayed Future Energy Prize, now recognized as the Zayed Sustainability Prize, and she remains an active jury member. Additionally, she held the role of Deputy Director General at the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy (AGDA), formerly known as the Emirates Diplomatic Academy (EDA) from 2017 to 2018. The professional achievements and dedication to public service of Dr. Al Hosany have been widely recognized. In July 2018, Dr. Al-Hosany was presented with the Doctor of Letters Honoris Causa from Keele University in the UK in recognition for her achievements in the field of sustainability. Dr Al-Hosany also received the Arab Woman Award and the Emirates Business Women Award. Dr. Al-Hosany is also credited as one of the first two Emirati women to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest free-standing mountain in the world at 5,895 meters above sea-level. Dr Al-Hosany’s personal and professional journey has taken her around world, where she has engaged with key climate and sustainability stakeholders from the Global South to the Global North, East and West, and where she has helped support and shape the discourse on the renewables based transition. Dr. Al-Hosany graduated from the Faculty of Engineering at the UAE University in 1992 and obtained her PhD from Newcastle University in the UK in 2002.

Mr. Claus Sorensen

Senior Adviser on Resilience, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response, Norwegian Refugee Council; Former DG, ECHO | Switzerland

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

Ms. Latifa AlQemzi

Director General, DP World Foundation | United Arab Emirates

Latifa AlQemzi, Director General of the DP World Foundation, brings a wealth of experience from various leadership roles. With a diverse background, including serving as Chief of Happiness and Positivity, Executive Office Manager at Dubai Culture, and Protocol Director at EXPO 2020 Dubai, she has honed her skills over a 15-year career in project and event management, fundraising, development, and community investment. Throughout her career, Latifa AlQemzi has demonstrated a passion for fostering positive change and enhancing community well-being. Drawing on her extensive expertise, she spearheads philanthropic strategies at the DP World Foundation, driving forward collaborative international initiatives that make a meaningful impact. With her dedication and visionary leadership, she is committed to creating a brighter future for communities worldwide through strategic philanthropy and sustainable development.

Ms. Corinne Fleischer

Regional Director for the Middle East, Northern Africa and Eastern Europe, United Nations World Food Programme | Switzerland

Ms. Corinne Fleischer, a national of Switzerland, was appointed as WFP Regional Director for the Middle East and Northern Africa in December 2020. In addition to her role as Regional Director, Ms. Fleischer was appointed as Corporate Response Director for the Ukraine operation in February 2022. Prior to this, Ms. Fleischer acted as Representative and Country Director for WFP in Syria since May 2018. Her previous assignments were in Rome at WFP’s Headquarters where she served as Director of Supply Chain between 2015 and 2018 and as Director of Procurement from 2013 to 2015. Ms. Fleischer joined WFP in 1999 as the Procurement Manager in Ethiopia. From 2001 to 2008, she worked in WFP’s Regional Bureau Bangkok , first as a Procurement Officer then as Chief of Donor Relations. In 2008, she moved to WFP Sudan as the Emergency Coordinator for Greater Darfur and from 2010 served as WFP’s Deputy Regional Director. Prior to her career with WFP, Ms. Fleischer ran her own business in East Africa, carrying out architectural projects for various diplomatic missions. An M.A. graduate from the University of Geneva, Ms. Fleischer started her career with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Sudan. She is fluent in French, German and English and possesses an intermediate level of Arabic.

Ms. Laila Baker

Regional Director for Arab States, United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) | Egypt

Ms. Laila Baker has 30 years international experience in global humanitarian and development settings primarily in the Arab region, leading and strategizing programme delivery, resource mobilization, and interagency coordination in complex geopolitical situations. As a long-time and highly respected colleague who has served in several representational and advisory roles, Ms. Baker is an expert in UNFPA mandate areas and programmes, including sexual and reproductive health and rights and gender-based violence especially in humanitarian settings. Ms. Baker’s career also includes work with major non-UN organizations such as the International Planned Parenthood Federation’s Regional Office in Tunisia, OXFAM UK and as the Director of Strategic Planning of the national branch of the IFRC in Palestine. As HQ Director for UNRWA’s Relief and Services Program from 2014 to 2016, she instituted a series of reforms to the poverty and social inclusion programs. Ms. Baker comes from a long history of service with the United Nations, most notably, UNDP, UNRWA and a twenty-year career with UNFPA, where she served in Palestine, Geneva and as Representative in Syria and Jordan. She is currently the Regional Director for Arab States, UNDCO, in Amman since August 2019. Having committed most of her career to development and humanitarian work in the Arab region, Ms. Baker also is passionate and strongly committed to seeing through the achievement of the three transformative results in the region by 2030. A national of the United States of America, and of Palestinian descent, Ms. Baker completed her master’s degrees in public health from the University of Wales and Cardiff University School of Medicine and Community. Ms. Baker has been the UNFPA Regional Director, Arab States Region since 1 August 2022.

Ms. Amany Qaddour

Regional Director of the Humanitarian NGO Syria Relief & Development | United Arab Emirates

Amany Qaddour serves as the regional director of Syria Relief and Development (SRD), a humanitarian organization operating on the ground in Syria and the surrounding region since 2011. She is currently an associate faculty member and doctor of public health (DrPH) candidate at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. In 2022-2023 she was a visiting scholar at Brown University's Center for Human Rights and Humanitarian Studies at the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs. In 2020, she was awarded the American Public Health Association's Outstanding Leadership and Advocacy Award for Maternal and Child Health. She briefed the UN Security Council in 2020 alongside ERC Mark Lowcock and again in 2021 alongside ERC Martin Griffiths.

Ms. Sophie Barbey

Deputy Director of Operations, Terre des hommes (Tdh) | Switzerland

Sophie Barbey is currently the Deputy Director of Operations at Terre des hommes (Tdh), at the headquarters in Lausanne (Switzerland), a position she has held since 2020. For more than twenty years before her current assignment, Sophie led and managed a number of operations for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) both at field and headquarter levels. As the head of the operational Programs and Expertise department of Tdh, the leading Swiss foundation on children’s rights, Sophie guides and manages the implementation of its strategic plan. She is actively involved in the institutional positioning towards key actors; she upholds and embodies the values of the foundation. Between 2017 and 2020, Sophie was the Head of the ICRC Mission in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). She led humanitarian diplomacy efforts and engaged on key International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and protection areas with leading partners. Previously, Sophie spent five years at the ICRC’s headquarters in her role as an expert within its Protection department, covering detention issues and files of persons deprived of their liberty. Between 2001 and 2011, Sophie was deployed to various operational missions including India, Chad, Iraq, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Jerusalem and Bethlehem, Serbia and Albania. She demonstrated a cunning ability to manage operations and lead teams in complex, volatile and multi-cultural environments. Prior to her humanitarian career, Sophie was a financial associate at Capital International in Geneva and London. Sophie Barbey, a Swiss national, holds a Master’s Degree in Economics, a Certificate in Advanced Studies (CAS) on Human Rights from the University of Geneva and a CAS in Leading by Example from the University of Lucerne (module 1 of the “Humanitarian Leadership and Management School” (HLMS)). She has followed regular professional training on issues pertaining to humanitarian leadership, international law and protection.

Mr. Dherar Belhoul Al Falasi

Executive Director, Watani Al Emarat Foundation; PAM Special Representative on Children and Conflict | United Arab Emirates

Dherar has been relentless in his endeavors to awaken and strengthen the cultural heritage and values deeply ingrained in the Emirati identity. His diverse roles and achievements span across voluntary and national work, social and humanitarian services, as well as presenting research and formulating practical social strategies. The positive impacts of these efforts can be seen in the enhanced social services, stronger community ties, and effective resolution of societal issues, all of which foster peace and harmony within the community. Beyond this, his wide array of activities, initiatives, and national contributions have been instrumental in propelling the community towards an improved future. His inspirational leadership in social service has been the cornerstone of these accomplishments:

Mr. Panos Moumtzis

Executive Director of the Global Executive Leadership Initiative (GELI) | United Arab Emirates

Panos Moumtzis, Executive Director of the Global Executive Leadership Initiative (GELI) Panos Moumtzis is a humanitarian practitioner and executive leadership coach, with over 30 years of experience working in humanitarian emergencies primarily in Africa and the Middle East. He has served the United Nations in various capacities including as Regional Humanitarian Coordinator - ASG for the Syria crisis (2017-2019), as Director of the IASC Peer to Peer initiative (2013-2017), as UNHCR’s Regional Refugee Coordinator for the Syria situation (2012 - 2013), as Humanitarian Coordinator in Libya (2011), and as Director for UNRWA Syria (2006 - 2009). Mr. Moumtzis began his career as UNRWA Refugee Affairs Officer in the Gaza Strip in 1990. He went on to fulfill roles in public information and external relations for UNHCR covering refugee crises in Iraq, East Africa, Kenya, Somalia, Rwanda, Burundi, as well as serving as the UNHCR spokesperson in the USA. Mr. Moumtzis is a Greek national and was born in Egypt. He is fluent in Arabic, English and French. Panos holds a B.A. in Political Science and International Relations from Athens Law School (Greece), and an M.A. in Middle East Politics and Economics from Exeter University (U.K). He is married, with three children. Mr. Moumtzis is a firm believer in the role that ethical leadership plays in creating transformation; for oneself, one’s team and most importantly, for the people we serve.

Dr. Manal Omran Taryam

CEO and Board Member Noor Dubai Foundation | United Arab Emirates

CEO and Board Member Noor Dubai Foundation

Mr. Fyras Mawazini

Director of International Development for SOS Méditerranée | United Arab Emirates

Fyras Mawazini has been the Director of International Development for SOS MEDITERRANEE since the summer of 2023. Although he helped found SOS MEDITERRANEE in 2015 and has volunteered since, he recently joined the executive team to lead its International Development efforts. In his current role, he focuses on strengthening and expanding SOS MEDITERRANEE's position as a prominent international humanitarian maritime organization on the global stage. With over 27 years of work experience, primarily at the international level, Fyras has dedicated most of his career to working with international NGOs and foundations in various countries across Africa and the Middle East. For more than 15 years, he led numerous humanitarian missions in diverse conflict zones in East Africa and the Middle East on behalf of international NGOs. Then, over the past 12 years, he has provided support and guidance for the implementation of development programs addressing the social challenges of youth, actively contributing to fostering positive social impact. Throughout his career, he has played a vital role in advancing the dynamism of civil society organizations and their capacity to bring about positive change. His diverse assignments have led him to reside in various African countries and the MENA region, affording him profound insights into the transformations of civil societies and enabling him to cultivate essential networks of partners. Fyras holds a Master's degree in International Relations with a specialization in Development Studies from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva, Switzerland.

Mr. Simon Missiri

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

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

Mr. Khaled Khalifa

Senior Advisor; Representative to the Gulf Cooperation Council, UNHCR | United Arab Emirates

Khaled Khalifa is a professional humanitarian worker with more than 25 years of experience in relief and development. He led humanitarian operations in various settings of natural disasters and complex emergencies. Khaled Khalifa worked in several senior managerial positions with major international organizations in many countries and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. degree in Management Leadership and Organizational Strategy. He holds an MA degree in English Literature & Humanities, an MSc in Sustainable Development, and a Project Management Diploma. He is a well-known international trainer in disaster management and an expert speaker on humanitarian affairs and the Middle East. In addition to his role as a representative to the Gulf Cooperation Council, Mr. Khaled leads UNHCR’s Islamic philanthropy activities globally and has been instrumental in the success of the Refugee Zakat Fund, which supported over 5 million beneficiaries in 27 countries since 2017. This success was made possible thanks to Khaled Khalifa’s role in building key partnerships with diverse Islamic philanthropy stakeholders.

Dr. Hiba Ahmed

Director-General, Islamic Solidarity Fund for Development (IsFD) | United Arab Emirates

Dr. Hiba Ahmed was appointment in June 2022 as Director-General for the Islamic Solidarity Fund for Development (ISFD), which is the poverty reduction arm of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB). The ISFD was established in 2007 as a special fund within IsDB with a mandate to fight poverty in IsDB member countries. ISFD promotes pro-poor economic growth, invests in human capital development, provides financial support to enhance the productive capacity and sustainable incomes of the poor. ISFD work includes supporting the economic empowerment of the poor, financing employment opportunities, providing market outlets especially for the rural poor, developing communities, supporting micro finance and small and medium enterprises among other things. Dr. Hiba, a Sudanese citizen, graduated from the department of economics, the University of Khartoum with an honor degree. She then moved to the United States to complete her post graduate studies at the University of Michigan St, from which she earned both her Master and Ph.D. degrees with distinction. She also earned several post-graduate certificates in economics and sustainable development from Harvard University. She began her career as an economist in the Central Bank of Sudan. She worked for the World Bank, Saudi Aramco Oil Company, United Nations Development Program, United States Agency for International Development, and the International Food Policy Research Institute in Washington DC focusing on economic development, policy, and poverty alleviation. She returned to Sudan in 2019, where she held the position of Director-General for the General Authority for Investment and Private Sector Development. In 2020, she was appointed as Minister of Finance and Economic Planning making her the first female Minister of Finance for Sudan. As Minister of Finance, she led international cooperation efforts including the “Friends of Sudan” initiative comprising of more than 40 donors and was responsible for resource mobilization of up to US$2 billion for the country in 2020. During her tenure, she also led Sudan’s US$60 billion debt restructuring and was responsible for administering the IMF’s Staff Monitored Program for macroeconomic stabilization.

Mr. Amin Awad

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

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

Mr. Rami Adwan

Head of Arab Relations, UNRWA | United Arab Emirates

Rami is the Head of Arab Relations with UNRWA, leading donor relations across the Arab Region and leading donor-funded programs. Rami is a C Level professional with over 25 years of experience in senior executive roles and leading major transformative programmes in the private sector and the non-profit sectors spanning multiple geographies spanning Jordan, North America, and the Gulf region. Rami was the Resident Representative / Country Director for the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD) in Jordan. This is a Dutch NGO working on political development in over 20 countries worldwide; Chief Executive Officer of the Electronic Health Solutions (EHS), Jordan’s national e-Health program and the chief executive officer of the Jordan Air Ambulance Center, heading Jordan’s medical evacuation service. Rami had previously served as member of the board of directors for the Jordan Engineering Association's pension fund and the Jordan ICT association, INTAJ. He is currently a member of the board of trustees for the Politics and Society Institute, and the Jordan Medical Aid for Palestinians. Rami holds a B.Eng. in Electronic Engineering from King’s College, University of London, an M.Sc. in Communications Systems from University of Wales at Swansea, and an MBA from Concordia University of Montreal. Rami holds the Canadian Securities Certificate and is a certified project manager and certified change manager.

Dr. Mukesh Kapila

Professor Emeritus, Global Health & Humanitarian Affairs, University of Manchester; Former Under Secretary-General, IFRC | United Arab Emirates

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

H.E. Paul Bekkers

Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the UN and WTO in Geneva; Former Special Envoy for Mental Health | Switzerland

Ambassador Paul Bekkers Permanent Representative Paul Bekkers has extensive work experience in various areas of international relations, including peace and security, human rights, economic affairs, development cooperation, sustainable trade, environmental affairs, arts and culture. Before coming to Geneva, Ambassador Bekkers was the Netherlands’ Special Envoy for Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS), and leading the Corona Taskforce, as well as the Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment (SEAH) Taskforce. From 2016-2020 Ambassador Bekkers was working for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), which is based in Vienna, as the Chief of Staff and Deputy Head of the Secretariat. Before joining the OSCE he served as Ambassador of the Netherlands to Poland and Belarus from 2013–2016, and to Malaysia from 2009-2013. Ambassador Bekkers was Director for Health, Gender and Civil Society at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and at the same time Special Ambassador for HIV/AIDS from 2005-2009. Earlier in his career he served in Ghana, Zaire (now Democratic Republic of the Congo), South-Africa and Turkey, and in several positions at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Hague. Ambassador Bekkers has a master’s degree in law and studied economics and history. At present, he studies spirituality and science. He is married to Agneta Linssen and they have three children, two sons and a daughter

Dr. Nehal Hefny

Deputy Regional Director, Middle East & North Africa, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) | United Arab Emirates

Dr. Nehal Hefny joined the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (the Movement) in 1997 as a volunteer. Since then, she has held several positions in the Movement and worked in various areas including health and first aid, disaster risk reduction and community resilience, community-based programs, at national, regional, and global levels. Before taking up her current position as the Deputy Regional Director for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) in MENA region, Dr. Hefny was the Head of Delegation of IFRC in Jordan since 2021. Prior to that, Dr. Hefny was the Head of the Qatar Red Crescent (QRC) Delegation for Lebanon and Jordan from 2019 to 2021. Prior to that, she was the Under-Secretary General of the Egyptian Red Crescent (ERC) from 2016 to 2018 where she led and implemented the ERC’s strategic development process. She was also the ERC’s Head of Programs and Projects from 2014 to 2016 and its Programs and Projects Coordinator from 2008 to 2014. Dr. Hefny has also represented the Movement at various international events such as the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in Sendai in 2015 and in Cancun in 2017, and she presented the “Health Care in Danger Project” (HCiD) to the African Union in Addis Ababa in 2014. She was a member of the Movement Reference Group for Safety and Security of Health Services, and she has been elected to represented North Africa at Pan African Coordination Team (PACT) since 2013. She served as a Medical Doctor at the Ministry of Health in Egypt from 2001 to 2007 and as a Medical Doctor at the Egyptian Forensic Medicine Administration from 2007 to 2012. Dr. Hefny holds a bachelor’s degree in Medicine from Cairo University, and post-graduate degrees in Public Policy and Executive Management from the American University in Cairo. She is an Egyptian national and is fluent in Arabic and English.

Ms. Amina Mohamed

Program Officer, Safari Doctors, Lamu, Kenya | Kenya

DIHAD 2024 Speaker

Ms. Mervat Shelbaya

Director, Inter-Agency Support Branch; Head Inter-Agency Standing Committee Secretariat, OCHA | United Arab Emirates

Ms. Shelbaya is the Head of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) secretariat, appointed by the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator. In this capacity Ms. Shelbaya plays a critical role supporting UN and non-UN humanitarian partners in this unique humanitarian forum on critical operational, policy and advocacy issues in support of strengthened humanitarian action. She is also Director of OCHA’s Inter-Agency Support Branch (IASB) which, in addition to the IASC secretariat, comprises key inter-agency services and tools, including the Humanitarian Leadership Strengthening Section (HLSS) which serves as the primary adviser to the Emergency Relief Coordinator (ERC) and the IASC on issues relating to humanitarian leadership, such as the identification of high potential HC candidates, appointment of HCs, and leadership development and support. Ms. Shelbaya has over 20 years of experience in humanitarian affairs, including serving as the Deputy Chief of the World Humanitarian Summit (WHS) secretariat where she was instrumental in delivering on a successful Summit in 2016, which brought together more than 9,000 participants and culminated in key commitments made by global leaders to address the root causes of conflict, end need and enable countries and communities to better prepare for and respond to crises and be more resilient to shocks. Ms. Shelbaya also managed response in the Asia-Pacific region as Section Chief in OCHA’s Operations and Advocacy Division and served as Deputy Chief of the Partnership Section, strengthening engagement and cooperation with Governments, Regional Organizations, Civil Society, and the Private sector. Prior to joining OCHA, she served with the UN World Food Programme in Afghanistan, Jordan, Liberia, the UAE and Rome in the areas of programming, preparedness, partnerships and monitoring and evaluation. Ms. Shelbaya also served as Director of Operations with ADRA International in Kukes, Albania and jump-started and managed its operations in Kosovo. Ms. Shelbaya is married and is a mother of two. She is a national of Egypt.

Mr. Simon Van Melick

Chief Executive Officer, SPARK, Amsterdam | Netherlands

Mr. Simon van Melick has served on the Board of Directors as Chief Executive Officer at SPARK since January 2024. With over a decade of experience within SPARK, Mr. van Melick has led several departments including as Head of Strategy and Head of Communications. Within these roles he has been central to developing and guiding the implementation of SPARK’s 2030 Strategy, as well as building the communications function within the organisation. His achievements at SPARK also include launching and coordinating the annual IGNITE conference in Amsterdam and throughout several other strategic regions, including Dubai, Beirut and Tunisia. His work at SPARK has also extended to programme management where he has delivered several successful youth employment programmes in Burundi, South Sudan, Iraq and the Palestinian territories. Most notably, Mr. van Melick designed and implemented the innovative Networks of Change programme in Iraq, financed by the Dutch Ministry of Affairs, which prevents radicalisation and violent extremism among youth, including women and refugees. Mr. van Melick is a 2022 graduate of the THNK School of Leadership in The Netherlands, which designs and delivers transformational learning programmes to help leaders thrive in complexity and act to increase their impact. Prior to his work at SPARK, Mr. van Melick held several positions within campaign and communication agencies in The Netherlands and holds a Bachelor’s degree in History from the University of Amsterdam (The Netherlands) and the New School for Social Research in New York City (USA). He speaks Dutch and English fluently, as well as conversational French.

H.E. Arthur Mattli

Ambassador of Switzerland to the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain | Switzerland

Arthur Mattli was born in Lucerne in 1963, place of origin Wassen (UR). He studied law at the Universities of Fribourg and Exeter and graduated with a degree in law from the University of Fribourg in 1989. After assignments as Delegate of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Jerusalem, Damascus, Riyadh and Dubrovnik, an assistantship at the University of Fribourg and a research residency in New York, he joined the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs in 1994. After an internship with the Political Affairs Division I in Bern, the Swiss Mission to the European Community in Brussels, and a language training in Taipei and Beijing, he was leading the Economic and Trade Section of the Swiss Embassy in Beijing. In May 2000, he was appointed Head of the Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law Section of the Directorate of International Law in Berne. In August 2004, he was appointed Deputy Head of mission of the Swiss Embassy in Nairobi, and in September 2008, as Deputy Head of mission of the Swiss Embassy in New Delhi (co-). From August 2011 to July 2015, Ambassador Mattli was Head of Division for Europe, Central Asia, Council of Europe and OSCE at the Directorate of Political Affairs in Bern (job-sharing). From August 2015 to February 2019, he was Head of Mission in Dar es Salaam (job-sharing), where he represented Switzerland at the East African Community and in Zambia. Ambassador Mattli has been Head of mission of the Swiss Embassy in Bucharest since March 2019 to July 2023 . As of the 1st of August 2023 he is serving as Head of Mission of the Swiss Embassy in Abu Dhabi.

Dr. Waleed Al-Ali

Secretary-General, The Digital School, MBRGI, Dubai | United Arab Emirates

Dr. Waleed Al Ali is the secretary general and board member for The Digital School Initiative, He also holds responsibilities in a number of leading initiatives in Dubai including senior advisor at Mohammed Bin Rashid Global Initiatives (MBRGI), the general coordinator for Madrasa.org e-learning initiative and the coordinator for Dubai Future Council for Humanitarian Aid. Dr. Waleed has extensive experience in the areas of strategic planning, educational strategies, social & humanitarian innovation, and digital transformation.

Mr. Giuseppe Saba

CEO, International Humanitarian City, Dubai | United Arab Emirates

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

Mr. Maxwell Sibhensana

Deputy Director, Operations and Resourcing Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) | United Arab Emirates

Mr. Maxwell Sibhensana assumed the Deputy Director, Operations and Resourcing position in the Office of Emergency and Resilience on the 21st of September 2023. Prior to this role, he served as the Regional Humanitarian and Emergency Affairs Director for an international NGO in which he supported nine field offices in the community-based disaster risk management, anticipatory action, preparedness, and response management. Some of the notable responses he has provided oversight on include the Southern Africa Cyclone Idai Response, Democratic Republic of Congo Sustained Humanitarian Response, Angola Hunger Response, Mozambique Cabo Delgado Response, and COVID-19 Response. He facilitated capacity development of deployable national and regional disaster management teams with a total contingency of 150 staff. He served as co-chair of the Regional Food and Nutrition Security Working Group. Previously he led, as Technical Director Resource Development, disaster management resource mobilisation for the same organisation with a $400M annual global portfolio. He worked as Program Officer for the NGO in the Asia Tsunami Response in Indonesia where he led the design of a 3-year recovery programme in 2008. He also served as a monitoring and Evaluation Officer in UNICEF Zimbabwe where he led the development of a monitoring and evaluation framework for the multi-donor fund for orphans and vulnerable children and provided oversight on 40 partners. Mr. Sibhensana served as Training Coordinator, in an NGO led agricultural value chain development programme which facilitated commercially viable linkages between farmers, input suppliers and output markets. He served as an agronomist for a consulting firm in the development of smallholder irrigation schemes in diverse dry areas. Mr Sibhensana also worked for a university institute of environmental studies as a researcher in the evaluation of the forestry extension services. Mr. Sibhensana holds a master’s degree in Crop Protection from the University of Zimbabwe, Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Agriculture from the University of Zimbabwe, and Post Graduate Diploma in Humanitarian Leadership from Deakin University, Australia

H.E. Steven Collet

Vice Minister of International Cooperation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The Hague, Netherlands | Netherlands

Steven is a change maker, with a passion for both international and organizational development. He has been working on economic development, trade and investment throughout his career, active in multilateral, bilateral and private sector arena’s. He served as a diplomat in Tanzania and Vietnam. He was Chief of Staff and Director for Sustainable Economic Development at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He was Executive Board member of IDH, the Sustainable Trade Initiative, making the business case for sustainable global value chains. Steven studied Social Sciences in Brussels and Nijmegen. He is alumnus of THNK, the School for Creative Leadership.

H.E. Sergio Piazzi

Secretary-General, Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM) | Italy

Secretary-General, Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM)

H.E. Gerhard Putman-Cramer

CEO of DIHAD Sustainable Humanitarian Foundation and Director of DIHAD International Scientific Advisory Board - DISAB | Switzerland

Currently:  Ambassador, Permanent Observer of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean to the United Nations and other International Organisations in Geneva;  Chief Executive Officer, Dubai International Humanitarian Aid and Development (DIHAD) Sustainable Humanitarian Foundation;  Member, Dubai Council on the Future of Humanitarian Aid (Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives); President of the Finance Committee, Founex Municipal Council, Switzerland; Former member of the Advisory Committee on International Operations of the Swiss Red Cross, of the Board of the Henri Dunant Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue and of the Higher Council of the International Congress for Health Specialties (ICHS); former Senior Associate of the Global Humanitarian Forum, Geneva. In his capacity as Permanent Observer of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM) to the United Nations in Geneva, Ambassador Putman-Cramer provides support to a number of initiatives undertaken by – or aimed at – PAM member states. This involves developing and applying various aspects of parliamentary diplomacy, often as inputs complementary to actions conducted under the auspices of the UN. As the CEO of the DIHAD Sustainable Humanitarian Foundation, Amb. Putman-Cramer spearheads a number of the Foundation’s initiatives (including the newly created DIHAD College) and elaborates as well as oversees the Conference Programme of the annual DIHAD event (www.dihad.org). The most recent Conference (13-15 March 2023) had as its theme: “Energy and Aid, Capitalising on Available Resources”. From 1975 until 2009 Amb. Putman-Cramer was with the United Nations, initially with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and subsequently with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (DHA/OCHA). He served in New York (on 3 separate occasions), in Geneva (also on 3 separate occasions) and in a variety of field locations (including 2 years in Malaysia and 3 years in Madagascar). The last 14 years of his UN career saw him in the position of Chief of OCHA’s Emergency Services (concurrently appointed as Deputy Director, OCHA Geneva), during which time he created and developed a number of effective international response mechanisms and instruments (e.g the United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination Team – UNDAC – and the Civil/Military Coordination concept ) while also reinforcing, together with the concerned authorities in disaster-prone countries, essential response capacities at the community, national and regional levels. During this period also, he led a large number of emergency/disaster response missions to, inter alia, Iraq (in the years 1991-94 and in 2003, as Area Coordinator for the Centre Region), the Caucasus, Tajikistan, Pakistan (the 2005 earthquake), Turkey, Mongolia, Thailand and Indonesia (also in the context of the South-East Asia Tsunami). Amb. Putman-Cramer has a ‘’Diplôme Universitaire en Santé Humanitaire’’ from the University Claude-Bernard in Lyon, a Post-Graduate Diploma (Economics, International Relations and International Law) from the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna, a Post-Graduate Diploma (Economic Development) from the Polytechnic of North London and a B.A. (Hons.) in Literature from Bedford College, University of London. Amb. Putman-Cramer is married and has two daughters.