Arab Watch Coalition held its Second General Assembly, on October 21th which gathered 27 organization members from the region: Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Yemen.
The Coalition reviewed its updated status, main achievements undertaken during the last two years (2018-2020) and ongoing actions around the region. One essential achievement was congratulated by AWC organization members, the strategic efforts taken during the campaign Save the Bisri Valley in Lebanon which was a victory, on September 5, 2020, the World Bank officially canceled its $244 million loan for the Bisri Dam project. Lessons learned from this campaign in terms of global mobilization and strategic actions have aroused huge motivations among the organization members around the region.
Arab Watch Coalition welcomed the efforts deployed by the former Board of Directors since the founding of the coalition in 2018. They then formally handed over responsibility to the new elected Board of Directors for the two next years :
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The board members are listed in alphabetical order and the sequence does not imply any significance.
Abdelmawla Ismail, Member
Egyptian Association for Collective Rights (EACR)
Abdelmawla Ismail is a researcher in the field of environment and development. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from the Faculty of Commerce, Cairo University. He has also obtained postgraduate diplomas in Civil Society Studies from the Faculty of Economics and Political Science, Cairo University, and in Environmental Sciences and Economics from the Environmental Research Center, Ain Shams University. Additionally, he holds a Master's degree in Environmental Sciences from the Faculty of Environmental Research and Studies, Ain Shams University. His work has involved coordinating programs and conducting research related to environment and development. He has authored and contributed to numerous publications. These include topics such as water rights, land issues and their impact on farmers' livelihoods, climate change, biodiversity, housing, the conditions of fishermen, labor issues (particularly concerning children), and the role of civil society. Ismail represents the Egyptian Association for Collective Rights (EACR) and AWC’s Egyptian members on the board.
Amro Al-Nawaiseh is the Executive Director of Al Hayat Center – RASED, with more than 16 years of professional experience in governance, local administration, institutional assessment, monitoring and evaluation (M&E), and evidence-based policy development. Throughout his career, he has led national and regional programs focused on strengthening accountability, transparency, democratic participation, and institutional performance. Amro represents AWC’s Jordanian members on the Board.
Ahmed has a PhD in Chemical Engineering from École Polytechnique de Montréal and he is a former researcher and professor at Cadi Ayyad University. With 25 years of experience as a trainer and project manager, he also served as the former Vice Director of the National Center of Studies and Research in Water and Energy. Ahmad is the Founding President of the Tensift Regional Center of Development, a recognized public utility non-profit NGO based in Marrakech, Morocco, and an observer member of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Ahmad has managed numerous projects funded by national and international institutions, including the UNDP, MCC (USA), and the European Commission, focusing on energy efficiency and irrigation water management in semi-arid regions. Currently, Ahmad is a member of the African Climate Change Fund Technical Committee and the Moroccan Evaluation Association and represents AWC's Moroccan members on the board.
Ammar is a certified consultant and trainer in capacity building and institutional strengthening for civil society organizations, he has over 15 years of experience in project management, including implementing assessments, training, and motivating teams to achieve remarkable results in development and humanitarian projects. He has an extensive background in managing multi-sectorial programs, with a strong awareness of cross-cutting issues related to Women, Youth and protection, which provides him with a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities in the local context. Additionally, he is skilled in designing and implementing effective surveys, as well as preparing qualitative studies and reports. Ammar is the founding member of several networks and coalitions of CSOs at local, national, and regional levels and he represents AWC's Yemeni members on the board.
Charfeddine Yakoubi, Member
Onshor https://www.facebook.com/onshorTunisia/
Charfeddine Yakoubi is a governance and anti-corruption expert with extensive experience working with international organizations, including UNDP, the OECD, and the Council of Europe. He holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration (MPA) and has built a strong track record in promoting transparency, accountability, and good governance in Tunisia. He is the President of the Onshor Association, Arab Watch board member, the National Coordinator of the Tunisian Coalition for Transparency in Energy and Mining, and a board member of Resource Justice Network. Through these roles, he has become an active and respected voice in Tunisia’s transparency movement, with a strong commitment to combating corruption and advancing public integrity. Over the years, Charfeddine has led and contributed to a wide range of research on governance issues, particularly in the areas of security and natural resources. As a civil society activist, he has engaged with ministries, parliament, and the media to advocate for stronger transparency standards and better governance practices. He is also recognized for sharing his expertise generously, helping strengthen public debate and reform efforts on accountability and anti-corruption. Charfeddine represents AWC's Tunisian members on the board.
Mustafa is the President of the Press Freedom Advocacy Association in Iraq. He has 10 years of experience as a journalist. Mustafa represents AWC’s Iraqi members on the Board.
Paul is a highly experienced environmental leader with over 35 years in environmental education, project management, and advocacy. With a career spanning multiple sectors, he has successfully worked to implement sustainable environmental solutions, drive conservation efforts, and engage communities and policymakers in Lebanon and the region. His expertise in environmental governance and capacity building, combined with a deep understanding of sustainable development, has shaped impactful initiatives that address Lebanon’s pressing environmental challenges. Paul is the founder and president of Terre Liban and he represents AWC's Lebanese members on the board.
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Each of the organization members has presented their work in relation to IFIs operating in their countries which raised main common constraints in terms of information accessibility, operations transparency and accountability mechanisms which implies opening channels with stakeholders. AWC has listed these issues as main priorities to draw up in the next 2020-2022 working plan.
