Chiara Ayad

Thematic expertise: Conflict Resolution, Security Policy, Gender, and Inclusion

Geographic expertise: Middle East and North Africa region, Syria, Palestine, Yemen

Languages: English, Arabic, Norwegian, French, Hebrew, Spanish

Chiara Ayad is a Norwegian diplomat currently posted in South Africa. She previously worked as an Adviser at the Norwegian Center for Conflict Resolution (NOREF) and specialized in facilitating political dialogue in the Middle East, WPS and civil society inclusion in peace processes (2019-2024). She has also broad experience working on Track II initiatives in Iraq, Syria, and Palestine. Prior to joining NOREF, Chiara worked as a Researcher at the Arab Reform Initiative on issues related to governance reform and youth engagement in the Middle East. Chiara holds a master’s degree in international security from the Paris School of International Affairs (PSIA) at Sciences Po Paris and a BA from Sciences Po in Middle Eastern studies.