Key skills and expertise.

Bringing over 37 years of experience in development cooperation, the expert has spent 16 years in leadership roles managing multi-sector rural development and food security programs. Key qualifications include program management, fund management, and technical assistance in natural resource management, environmental rehabilitation, and disaster risk reduction. Career highlights include leading international initiatives such as the EU continental environmental monitoring program across 48 African countries, managing budgets up to 37 million euros, and achieving significant results in capacity building and policy development.

Project experience and donor exposure.

With a background in collaborating with international donors such as the European Union, German Development Cooperation (KfW and GIZ), Italian Government, USAID, and ECHO, the expert has been involved in project implementation, technical assistance, and evaluations. These projects span sectors like food security, rural development, disaster risk management, and environmental rehabilitation. The expert has worked on both regional and national scales across Africa, including Ethiopia, Djibouti, Kenya, Somalia, and Zimbabwe, contributing to capacity building and policy workshops while managing significant budgets and coordinating multi-sectoral initiatives with government and regional bodies.

Sectors and geographic focus.

Previously held roles such as team leader and program coordinator, the expert has managed multi-sector projects involving technical assistance and capacity building across key sectors, including rural development, food security, environmental management, and disaster risk reduction. Their cross-cutting expertise includes integrating natural resource management and climate change strategies into regional development initiatives. The geographic scope of their work spans Sub-Saharan Africa, with significant contributions to regional integration and policy development. The expert has extensive geographic experience across Africa, with long-term assignments in Ethiopia, Djibouti, Kenya, Somalia, and Zimbabwe. They have deep familiarity with local governance and regional development issues, particularly in Ethiopia, where they have worked for over 20 years. The expert has also conducted short-term missions in countries such as Uganda, South Sudan, Namibia, and Senegal, contributing to regional integration and development initiatives across Sub-Saharan Africa.

Languages and education.

Fluent in Italian, English, and French, the expert utilizes these languages extensively in professional settings, including in-country work across Africa and collaboration with multilingual teams. They possess excellent communication and drafting skills in both English and French, facilitating effective coordination and management of international development projects. The expert holds a Post-degree Diploma in Conflict and Development from Open University, UK, an MSc in Environmental Management from Imperial College, University of London, UK, and an MSc in Agriculture Development from Wye College, University of London, UK. Additionally, they obtained a BSc in Political Science from the University of Bologna, Italy. This educational background provides a strong foundation in environmental management, agriculture development, and political science.