United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia - ESCWA Leadership

Deputy Minister for Planning Affairs at The Ministry of Planning, Monitoring and Administrative Reform

Since 2012, leading the Economic Development and Poverty Section (EDPS) at UN-ESCWA. The section focuses on supporting Arab countries on poverty measurement and macroeconomic and fiscal policies for inclusive development policies and produces two of ESCWA’s main regional flagship publications. From 2002-2012, Policy Adviser at UNDP’s for Arab States covering macroeconomic policies, employment, inequality and poverty reduction.

Author and/or co-lead author of over 40 policy oriented UN publications and technical papers, including: national poverty assessment reports of Yemen (UNDP, 2007), Syria (UNDP 2006 and 2009), Jordan (ESCWA 2012) and Lebanon (UNDP, 2007), “Arab Vision 2030 Report” (ESCWA, 2015), “Arab Development Challenges Reports” (UNDP, 2009 and 2012), “The Arab MDG Reports” (UN and LAS, 2013), “Arab Middle Class” (ESCWA, 2014), “Rethinking Economic Growth” (ILO and UNDP, 2012). Currently leading the drafting of the first “Arab Multi-Dimensional Poverty Report” (forthcoming, ESCWA 2016). Contributing author of the 2009 Arab Human Development Report. Other areas of research interest include: macroeconomic (fiscal) policies, human development, employment, food security, and conflict and development.

Experience outside the UN includes teaching at the Faculty of Economics of the Lebanese American University and with the Egyptian Government’s Cabinet’s Decision Support Center and Office of the Minister for Public Enterprises.

M. Phil and D. Phil. in Development Economics from the New School for Social Research in New York (Thesis Adviser: Lance Taylor), M. Phil. in Development Planning and Environment from the University of Dundee in Scotland (Thesis Adviser: Allan Findlay), B. A. in Economics from the American University in Cairo.

Mohamed Chemingui is a Senior economist, chief of regional integration section at United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) and is based in Lebanon, Tennessee. He has worked as First Economist Affairs Officer at United Nations, Chercheur postdoctoral at Montpellier, and Économiste at OECD Development Centre. Mohamed studied at Université de Montpellier between 1994 and 2000 and IAMM CIHEAM between 1992 and 1995.

Nada Darwazeh is a Chief at United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) and is based in Beirut, Beirut Province, Lebanon. She has worked as Gender, Development and Human Rights Consultant at Freelance consultancies; Human Rights Officer/ Regional Gender Advisor at Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law; and Social Affairs Officer at Economic and Social Commission for West Asia (ESCWA). Nada studied at University of Sussex between 1997 and 1998, University of Essex between 2003 and 2004, and University of Jordan between 1988 and 1992.

Saleh ALKAFRI is a Chief of Technical Advisory Group of Economic Statistics (TAGES) at United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), Chief of Working Group on Business Statistics and Registers at MedStat Project, and Director General of Economic Statistics at Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics and is based in Ramallah, West Bank District, Palestine. He has worked as Director of Labour Statistics at Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, Lecturer - Part Time at Birzeit University, and Senior Statistician Consultant at International Labour Organization. Saleh attended Università di Pavia between 2007 and 2012.

Zuheir Bakleh is a Chief Librarian at United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) and is based in Beirut, Beirut Province, Lebanon. He has worked as Director of Damascus University Libraries at Damascus University; Teacher at Damascus University, Libraries and Information Department at BC; and Lecturer at Beirut Arab University. Zuheir studied at Damascus University between 1991 and 1992, Robert Gordon University between 2004 and 2006, and Damascus University between 2008 and 2011.