Rawhi Afaghani

Deputy Resident Representative

United Nations Development Programme – Syria

Rawhi Afaghani, PhD, is the Deputy Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Syria. With over 25 years of experience across the Middle East and North Africa, Rawhi is a seasoned development and conflict prevention expert, recognized for his strategic leadership in fragile and conflict-affected settings. He has led complex programming and built high-impact partnerships to address peacebuilding, governance, and resilience challenges in transitional contexts.

Previously, Rawhi served as Deputy Resident Representative (a.i.) in Egypt, where he led strategic programme coordination and donor relations, and as Peacebuilding and Conflict Prevention Programme Advisor at the UNDP Regional Hub for the Arab States, delivering policy and technical advisory services to 18 country offices. He has also led national reconciliation and transitional justice initiatives in Libya and Yemen, advancing political dialogue and supporting local peace processes through innovative programming and strategic communications.

In his current role, Rawhi provides strategic direction to UNDP’s country programme in Syria, aligning development initiatives with national priorities and the 2030 Agenda. He plays a key leadership role in forging partnerships with host institutions, development partners, and donors to ensure programmatic coherence, effective resource mobilization, and impactful delivery. His portfolio spans inclusive governance, local development, and early recovery programming in one of the world’s most complex operational environments.

Rawhi holds a PhD in Conflict Analysis and Resolution from George Mason University and is fluent in Arabic, English, and Czech. His expertise lies in transitional governance, strategic planning, national dialogue processes, and building resilient institutions in crisis-affected settings.