Meeri-Maria Jaarva

Thematic expertise: Mediation strategy and process design; civilian crisis management; planning, monitoring and evaluation; training; women’s inclusion in peace processes

Regional/country-specific expertise: Eastern Europe, Caucasus, Asia (Central Asia, Afghanistan, Indonesia)

Languages: Finnish, English, Swedish, basic French, basic Russian

Meeri-Maria Jaarva is a professional in conflict resolution, civilian crisis management and peacebuilding with over 20 years of experience from the governmental and non-governmental sectors. Currently working in the Finnish OSCE Chairpersonship 2025 Task Force at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, she has previously worked with civilian crisis management at the Crisis Management Centre Finland and the Ministry of the Interior, the 2020 Afghanistan Conference Secretariat at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, as well as in several positions at the CMI - Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation, including heading the organisation’s work on dialogue and mediation processes in the Eastern Europe and Central Asia region and coordinating the Aceh peace process mediation team. In addition, Ms Jaarva has been seconded by the Finnish Government as Mediation Support Officer to the Secretariat of the OSCE and as Reporting Officer at the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia. Ms Jaarva graduated as Master of Social Sciences from the University of Helsinki in 2000. She has also studied at the University of Uppsala.