The AUB Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs (IFI) at the American University of Beirut (AUB) is delighted to welcome Karma Ekmekji as IFI Senior Policy Fellow. Karma is also the Lead Advisor on a new IFI research project, supported by the UN Women Regional Office for Arab States. The project, entitled “Democratizing the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) Agenda,” will offer an opportunity for a longer-term engagement on WPS that aligns with IFI’s vision in becoming a regional research hub for expertise on WPS in the MENA region.
Karma is a Mediation Advisor with UN Women and the founder of #Diplowomen, an initiative to share knowledge, develop mentorship opportunities, and strengthen networking in the field of diplomacy, peacemaking, conflict resolution, mediation, and negotiation. She is a member of the Mediterranean Women Mediators Network and a member of the Global Alliance of Regional Women Mediator Networks, which she participated in launching during the 74th UN General Assembly in New York.
Prior to this, she was the International Affairs and Relations Advisor to former Prime Minister of Lebanon Saad Hariri, where she served as the focal point for all international dossiers for eleven years. Before joining PM Hariri’s office in 2009, Karma was the National Political Officer at the
United Nations Special Coordinator’s office in Lebanon. She had also served at the UN Secretariat’s Department of Political Affairs in New York.
She is a Munich Young Leader, a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network, member of the British Government’s International Leaders Program and a “Personalité d’avenir” – selected by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In 2012, Karma was named one of the top 99 foreign policy leaders under 33 years of age by the Diplomatic Courier.
Karma holds a Master of Public Administration from the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University, where she was a Fulbright student. She is a fourth-generation graduate of the American University of Beirut and a Penrose Award recipient.