Mo Hamza
Location of experience: West and East Africa; Middle East; South Asia
Type of disaster work: Disaster response; Climate change adaptation; Climate and migration
Primary Interests: Migration and displacement; Climate change and climate change adaptation; Social vulnerability; Capacity development; Disaster risk reduction
I have been inspired to serve on CADAN’s Advisory Board to have the opportunity to do exactly what I have been doing over the last two decades or more, and that is to bridge academia and practice. My work, whether as a consultant or an academic, blurs the lines between academic and operational research that, for example, advises the likes of WFP to transition from a service provider to a capacity strengthener in an ever changing climate and environmental conditions their mandate puts them at the centre of. CADAN is a platform where both academics and practitioners can and will create a common language where research is needs driven to inform policy and practice. I have managed multi-year operational programs in West Africa as well as currently researching the challenges to capacity development donor agencies face. Working in disaster areas and then having the opportunity and resources to research everything I have seen and worked with first hand is a rare privilege and one I hope would bring value to CADAN’s mission.