Our Team in Palestine

Dr. Alakbarov brings more than 30 years of extensive international experience in executive leadership, strategic planning and policy-making, development programming and management, and humanitarian response. He has been serving as the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Ethiopia since 2023. Prior to this, he held the position of Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan with the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), where he was also the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, from 2021 to 2023. In Afghanistan, he also served as UN Resident Coordinator ad interim in 2020.

Dr. Alakbarov has served in several positions within the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), including as Deputy Executive Director for Management and United Nations Reforms (ad interim) and Director of the Policy and Strategy Division in New York, Country Representative in Haiti, Deputy Regional Director of the Regional Office for Arab States in Cairo and Head of the Office in South Sudan. Prior to these positions, he served in various roles at UNFPA supporting country programmes in Arab States, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia. His roles included Programme Officer covering Sudan, Somalia, and Iraq and Humanitarian Response Officer for Operations, in Afghanistan, Palestine and the Great Lakes Region. From 1992 to 1995, he was an Assistant Professor at Azerbaijan Medical University and a practicing physician.

Dr. Alakbarov holds M.D. and Ph.D. degrees in internal medicine from Azerbaijan Medical University and a Master of Arts in international relations from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. He is fluent in Azerbaijani, English, French, Russian and Turkish.

Mr. Philippe Lazzarini was appointed Under-Secretary-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 Secretary-General António Guterres in March 2020. He has served as the Deputy UN Special Coordinator (UNSCOL) and as Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Lebanon.
With over 30 years of professional experience, including with the United Nations, the private sector and the International Committee of the Red Cross. Mr. Lazzarini is a graduate of the University of Neuchatel and of the University of Lausanne, and is married with four children.

Mr. Jaco Cilliers brings over 25 years of international experience in development, peacebuilding, and crisis response. Prior to his appointment in UNDP/PAPP, he served as UNDP Resident Representative in Ukraine and as Manager of the UNDP Bangkok Regional Hub. He previously held senior leadership roles as UNDP Country Director in India, Deputy Resident Representative in Uzbekistan, and Peace and Development Advisor in Cyprus. He has worked extensively in conflict and post-conflict settings across Africa, Asia, and Europe.
Mr. Cilliers holds a Ph.D. in recovery and peacebuilding from George Mason University and degrees from Nelson Mandela University. He is married and has two children.

As an engineer and urban development practitioner, Mr. Zeyad Elshakra has more than thirty years of professional experience in development issues, including teaching, research, analytical and advisory services and programme administration in the fields of housing, urban development and management, institutional development and capacity building. Mr. Elshakra has a wide expertise in innovative participatory and responsive solutions to urbanization and housing challenges. Mr. Elshakra has more than 20 years of experience working for international organizations. Mr. Elshakra holds a PhD from the University of Missouri-Columbia, United States of America.

Dr. Ciro Fiorillo is an agricultural development economist with extensive experience in supporting public economic policy making in food security and agriculture.
As Head of the FAO Office for the West Bank and Gaza Strip, he currently leads a team of more than 90 people working from East Jerusalem, Ramallah and the Gaza Strip to deliver an active program of USD 72.4 million bridging humanitarian responses and development interventions aimed at protecting and promoting the resilience of farmers and herders; making the agri-food system more inclusive, resilient and sustainable; and improving the well-being of Palestinians. He previously worked in Bangladesh, Syria and Mozambique.

Daniel Cork is a development sector professional with 25 years’ experience, including 14 years of experience with the ILO, including in project management and technical specialist roles. He leads a team of 17 people working from East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza, who support the implementation of the ILO's Decent Work program for the Palestinian people. He has worked in Algeria, Morocco, ILO HQ in Geneva, and he has extensive professional experience in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza between 1996 and 2023. He has previously worked as Project Manager of the ILO's SOLIFEM regional project in Algeria, Technical Specialist on Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining at the ILO HQ in Geneva, and Industrial Relations' Specialist for the ILO-IFC Better Work Program in the Garment and Textile Industry. His areas of expertise are social dialogue, industrial relations, gender equality, supply chains, project management and capacity development. He has contributed to several publications, including diagnostic studies on the informal economy and skills development in Lebanon. He holds a Master of Arts in Arab Studies with a concentration in economic development from the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., and a Bachelor of Arts in Middle East Studies from the University of Massachusetts.

Eman Beseiso is a Country Officer at ITC, supporting project design, fundraising, and implementation in countries such as Jordan, Syria, Kuwait, and Palestine. She previously worked at PalTrade and with the ILO, and holds Master’s degrees in Development Studies and Comparative Law, with a focus on sustainable development and governance.

Karim Hendili is an architect with a master’s degree in urban and architectural heritage safeguarding. He has served in various positions at UNESCO, including in the Arab States Unit of the World Heritage Centre and in Bahrain. His work has focused on capacity-building related to the World Heritage Convention and on safeguarding cultural heritage in countries affected by conflict, including Iraq, Libya, Syria and Yemen. He also coordinated the World Heritage Cities Programme and contributed to the implementation of the Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape.

He later led the Culture Programme at the UNESCO Regional Office for the Maghreb and served as Advisor for Communication and Information ad interim. He also worked in the Office of the Director-General as Culture focal point for the “Li Beirut” initiative following the 4 August 2020 explosions. He subsequently returned to the Regional Office for the Maghreb, where he continued supporting the initiative, and served as Officer-in-Charge of the office.

Ajith Sunghay is the Head of OHCHR Office in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. He has 22 years of UN experience. Prior to joining OHCHR OPT as its Head, he was a Team Leader for Peace and Security in Africa and Asia in OHCHR’s New York Office. Before that he lead the Human Rights Due Diligence work in New York, after having been the Team Leader of the Israel/Palestine cluster in the Middle East and North Africa section at headquarters in Geneva. Prior to being a cluster lead, he worked in Asia Pacific section in Geneva, covering a number of countries in the region.
He has served in Palestine as a Human Rights Officer in OHCHR Ramallah Office from 2008-2010.
From 2001-2007 he held field positions with UN refugee agency (UNHCR) in Sudan, Eritrea, Sierra Leone and Ghana. He is an international lawyer by profession, and holds a Masters in Law from the University of Oxford, UK and a Master of Arts in International Relations and Contemporary War from King’s College, University of London, UK.”

Ali Badarneh is Chief and Senior Coordinator for the United Nations Industrial Development Organization in Palestine. He has more than 20 years of experience in international development and has designed and implemented programmes across Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America. His work includes advancing partnerships with international organizations and contributing to global frameworks on food safety, food processing, quality infrastructure and sustainable food systems. He holds a Master’s degree from the University of Birmingham and has received several UNIDO awards in recognition of his leadership and performance.

Christa Ketting is the International Fund for Agricultural Development’s (IFAD) Country Director Ad Interim for Palestine based in IFAD’s sub-regional office in Cairo. She joined IFAD in 2016 and has since held multiple technical and programme roles globally. She is an experienced agricultural programme manager with specialisations in value chain development and social inclusion. A national of the Netherlands, Ms. Ketting possesses two master’s degrees in political science from the University of Amsterdam and in Development Studies from the Université Libre de Bruxelles.

Mr. Jonathan Veitch was appointed UNICEF Special Representative in the State of Palestine in October 2025. Based in East Jerusalem, he leads UNICEF’s programmes and operations across the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip. He brings extensive expertise in children’s rights and wellbeing, with a particular focus on complex emergencies, peacebuilding, and maternal and child health.

Mr. Veitch previously served as UNICEF Representative in the Pacific and has held senior positions in Geneva, South Sudan, Kyrgyzstan, Sudan, and Somalia. Earlier in his career, he worked with the United Nations and international NGOs across Africa and Asia.

He holds a Master’s degree from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. He is married with three children.

Mr. Julius Van Der Walt is Chief of the Mine Action Programme in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. He joins the role from UNMAS Headquarters in New York, where he served in the Design, Operational Support and Oversight section, providing strategic and technical support to several UNMAS programmes, following his tenure as Head of Project Unit for the UNMAS Sudan and Syria programmes. His career spans humanitarian, development, and security sectors, with a proven track record in crisis response, stakeholder engagement, and capacity development.

He brings over 20 years of relevant experience across UN missions, NGOs, and commercial operations, having begun his career in 2004 and contributed to mine action programmes in diverse contexts including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea/Ethiopia, Iraq, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Turkey and Yemen.

Julius brings more than 12 years of hands-on programme and project management experience, covering strategic planning, budgeting, logistics, and inter-agency coordination.
He holds an MBA, a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Management, and a Bachelor of Commerce in Financial Management.

Ms. Karuna Herrmann was appointed as Director of the UNOPS Office in Jerusalem in September 2024. Prior to this appointment, she served as Deputy Director of the UNOPS Humanitarian Advisory Team to the Famine Relief Fund. Ms. Herrmann has held a range of roles in humanitarian affairs, development, and peace-building, with a focus on MENA and East Africa. This includes positions with the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, where she held portfolios on Syria, Iraq, and Libya, served on the Emergency Directors Group Secretariat, and on ‘Grand Bargain’ negotiations. She has also held positions with the International Organization for Migration, on global guidelines for humanitarian needs analysis, with the Office of the DSRSG/RC/HC in South Sudan, in strategic planning and liaison roles, held governance and state-building portfolios with UNDP, and consulted on development projects. Ms. Herrmann holds degrees in Human Rights, Arabic, and Political Science from the London School of Economics and Political Science and the School of Oriental and African Studies and has two children.

Mr. Khaldoun Oweis has worked with UNODC in Palestine for the past 14 years. He is currently Officer in Charge since 2017 and the regional programme manager of the youth programme (Youth 4 Impact). His work and expertise are primarily focused on issues like drug prevention, criminal justice, youth empowerment, and the rule of law.
Prior to joining UNODC, Mr. Oweis worked for the Palestine Red Crescent Society, as Director of the President Office and before that the head of the Youth and Volunteers Department. His work focused on humanitarian assistance and advocacy in Palestine and in the region.
Mr. Oweis holds a master’s degree in Peace and Development from the University of Gothenburg, in Sweden, as well as a bachelor’s degree in social work from Bethlehem University.

Mutasim Elagraa is an economist who, prior to joining UNCTAD, had experience in academia and the private sector. Since 2008, he led and contributed to UNCTAD program of assistance to the Palestinian people which seeks to extend support through policy-oriented research, the implementation of capacity-building and technical cooperation projects, the provision of advisory services and the promotion of international consensus on the needs of the Palestinian people and their economy.

Mr. Nestor Owomuhangi, a national of Uganda, took on the role of UNFPA Representative to Palestine. He brings 30 years of experience in the humanitarian and development sectors, much of which has been with UNFPA and the UN system. Before his current appointment, Mr. Owomuhangi served as the UNFPA Representative in Iraq and Yemen. Coincidentally, he also held the position of Deputy Representative in these countries. Earlier in his career, Mr. Owomuhangi worked as the International Programme Specialist for the UNFPA Country Office in Lesotho. He began his career with UNFPA as a National Programme Officer at the Uganda Country Office in 1999, initially seconded to UNHCR as a Reproductive Health Focal Point. Mr. Owomuhangi holds a master’s degree in Population and Reproductive Health from Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda.

Dr. Reinhilde “Renee” Van de Weerdt, a national of Belgium, brings extensive experience in global health, emergency management, and maternal and child health across multiple agencies.

Dr. Van de Weerdt began her career as a Medical Coordinator with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) Belgium, working in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sierra Leone, Chad, Rwanda, and Chechnya. She then served as a Medical Officer in WHO’s Polio Department. In 2004, Dr. Van de Weerdt joined UNICEF, where she held several leadership roles, including Health and Nutrition Officer in Chad, Senior Health Adviser for Child Survival, and Chief of Maternal, Newborn and Child Health at UNICEF Headquarters in New Yor. She subsequently served as Senior Technical Advisor for Reproductive Health Commodities with UNFPA in New York.

In 2017, Dr. Van de Weerdt returned to WHO as Chief of Emergency Management and Support within the Health Emergencies Programme. She has since served as WHO Country Representative in Somalia and Djibouti.

Dr. Van de Weerdt holds a medical degree from the University of Leuven, a Master of Science in Epidemiology from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Wales.

With over 20 years of experience in management Mr. Dimassi has extensive experience in multi-lateral and international relations, corporate and policy reform, intergovernmental affairs, strategy design and private sector engagement. Mr. Sami Dimassi joined the UNEP Regional Office for West Asia as Director and Regional Representative in 2017. He held several senior positions in the UN System, such as Senior ICT Advisor, Head of the Innovation Branch, Deputy Director of the Science division, Director of Private Sector Engagement, and Acting Director of Corporate Services all within UNEP. A Lebanese-Canadian national, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Information Technology from Ottawa University and a master’s in Management from Waterloo University in Canada.

Shaun Hughes has been appointed as the World Food Programme (WFP) Representative and Country Director in Palestine, effective January 2026. Prior to this appointment, Shaun has served as WFP Emergency Coordinator for the Sudan Regional Crisis Response since March 2025. Since joining WFP in 2014, he has held a range of senior leadership roles across complex emergency and development contexts, including Deputy Country Director in South Sudan; Senior Regional Emergencies Advisor for East Africa; Head of Food Systems and Resilience in Kenya; Head of Programme in South Sudan; and Emergency Coordinator in northeast Nigeria.
Before joining WFP, Shaun worked for the UK Government for 12 years as a Senior Humanitarian Advisor and Team Leader, with postings in Ethiopia, Sudan, and Zimbabwe, as well as surge deployments to Somalia, Mozambique, Angola, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
He began his career as a volunteer teacher in The Gambia and later served in the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office. Shaun holds a bachelor’s degree in Law and French from the University of Birmingham, a Diplôme d’Études Juridiques from the University of Limoges, and postgraduate certifications in Food Systems and Nutrition in Emergencies from New York University and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.