Organized in Alphabetic Order

Delegation of Civil Society Organizations Visiting Brussels Organized by the Arab NGO Network for Development Dates: 4-8 November 2013

Background Brief on Participants in the Delegation (Organized in Alphabetic order)

HABIB MAALOUF-LEBANON Mr. Maalouf is a writer; journalist and lecturer specialized in philosophy. Mr. Maalouf gives lectures at the Antoine University on environmental philosophy. He is the Head of the Lebanese Association for Environment and Development and a founding member of a founding member of the Euro - Mediterranean Civil Forum. He leads the head of department of environment in the As-Safir, daily Lebanese newspaper. Mr. Maalouf completed several researches and has published several articles on environmental issues in Lebanon and in the Arab region. He is the author of the book, “On the brink: An Introduction to Environmental Philosophy”, the first book in the Arab world which deals with the subject of environment from a philosophical background.

HEBATALLAH KHALIL-EGYPT Heba Khalil is currently Deputy Director at the Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights (ECESR). Before that, she was head of the Research Department at ECESR, since June 2011. Her research focuses on Tax Justice, Trade and Investment Issues, Privatization and Corruption, and other Socio-Economic Issues. Mrs. Khalil has involved in national and international advocacy on agriculture and food sovereignty issues, fair trade and the global economic architecture. She holds a BA in Political Science and History, and an LL.M (Master of Laws) in Human Rights Law. JABER BAKER-SYRIA Jaber Baker is the Director of GHOUTH (Agency for humanitarian relief and development), a Syrian official in the Samir Kassir Foundation to monitor violations of the press and media on the cultural scene in Syria and a political refugee in France. Previously, Mr. Baker took several positions in the Media Sector, including editor in Black and White magazine in Damascus, Editor at the Department of Investigation and locals for Al-Watan Newspaper, Director of Press Office of the Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression.

KINDA MOHAMADIEH-LEBANON Kinda Mohamadieh is the Policy Advisor at ANND, where she works on social and economic rights, development policies, trade and investment agreements, and other globalization and governance issues. She has an academic background in International and European Economic Law, international development and nonprofit management, and economics. She studied at University of Lausanne, University of California at Los Angeles, and American University of Beirut. She is currently based at the South Centre, where she undertakes research on WTO agreements and investment related issues.

MOHAMED SAID SAADI-MOROCCO Mohamed Said Saadi is currently consultant and Thesis Director at the Graduate Institute of Commerce and Business Administration of Casablanca (ISCAE) in Morocco. He has taught Economics and Management at the ISCAE and the Faculties of Law and Economics of Casablanca and Marrakech from 1972 to 2010. He was also an expert and Member of the Gender and Development Committee of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa and Secretary of State for Social Protection, Family and Childhood. Mr. Saadi was a research fellow at Princeton University (1997/1998) and Fulbrighter at the University of Texas at Austin (1993). He has written numerous books and publications on Business groups and Development, the Moroccan Economy, Gender and Euro-Mediterranean Partnership. His research topics cover rethinking development models and developmental states, the impact of the neoliberal and global crisis on Arab countries, industrialization and industrial policies and the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership.

MOHSEN ABU RAMADAN-PALESTINE Mohsen AbuRamadan is the Chairman of the Palestinian NGO Network in Gaza. He holds a BA in Sociology from Birzeit University and a diploma in Political Studies from University of East Anglia-UK. Mr. AbuRamadan has experience in training and capacity building in democracy, election and good governance and in development research studies including gender issues. He has written several articles and delivered lectures on political development in Palestinian and Arab affairs and worked as a consultant in Human Development Report to the local team in Palestine.

MUSTAPHA BOUHADDOU-MOROCCO Mr. Bouhaddou is an Associate Professor in the Law Faculty in Agdal/Rabat and advisor to institutional development and governance policies. He has 20 years of xperience in the field of socio-economic development and formerly worked as the Director of the Social Development within the Ministry of Scoal Development, Family and Solidairy.He is a founding and active member of several organizations including Tranparency Morocco, Espace Associative, Moroccon Association of Human Rights.

SLAHEDDINE JOURCHI-TUNISIA Slaheddine Jourchi is a journalist, writer and human rights activist. He co-founded the Islamic Group “Al Jamaa al islmya” in Tunisia and contributed to the creation the "progressive Islamic group," which made its priorities to engage in religious reform. He worked as editor to several magazines and newspapers. He is the lead coordinator of research work for Arab NGO Network for Development. Since February 2011 he is a member and spokesperson of the national committee for fact-findings on Abuses and violations in Tunisia. The Committee was formed after the revolution. Mr. Jourchi published a number of articles and studies about Islamic movements and religious reform, civil society issues and democratic culture.

For further inquiries please do not hesitate to contact: ARAB NGO NETWORK FOR DEVELOPMENT P.O.BOX: 5792/14 Mazraa 1105-2070 Beirut, Lebanon Tel: +961 1 319366 Fax: +961 1 815636 Email: [email protected] website: www.annd.org ZAHRA BAZZI-LEBANON Zahra Bazzi is the Program Manager at ANND, where she works on social and economic policies since November 2011. She has a BA in Law from the Lebanese University and a Diploma in International Trade Law from Beirut Arab University. Zahra worked as a Program Associate at UNDP’s Programme on Governance in the Arab Region (UNDP-POGAR) and UNDP project on Anti-Corruption and Integrity in Arab Countries (UNDP-ACIAC).

ZIAD ABDEL SAMAD- LEBANON

Ziad Abdel Samad is the Executive Director of the Arab NGO Network for Development. ANND brings together 30 NGOs and 9 national networks from 10 Arab countries and is active in the protection of social and economic rights. He is Co-Founder of the Euro-Mediterranean NGO Platform and member of the UNDP CSO Advisory Committee to the Administrator, Advisory board of the Asia Pacific Research Network (APRN) and of the Advisory board of the Reality of Aid Network (RoA).