Mr. Amin Awad
Expert in Philanthropy and CSR
Mr. Amin Awad is involved in humanitarian work with the UN for more than 30 years, where he made a name for himself in some of the most difficult field operations. His vast competence includes inter-agency coordination, resource mobilization, development cooperation, emergency management, refugee relief, political negotiating, and supply chain management on a worldwide scale.
Mr. Amin Awad is the 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 the UN's operational response to the evolving situation on the ground. Liaised with government, de facto non-government actors. He coordinated security planning and programming criticality. Served the primary public spokesperson for the UN operations in Ukraine.
Mr. 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. Amin 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.
Mr. 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 , Mr. Awad holds a BA in Political Science and Economics and completed higher studies in International Development Administration.