Rita Abi Akar has almost a decade years’ experience in crisis and food-insecure contexts, and has worked in humanitarian and development settings with INGOs, UN agencies, private sector and Civil Society organisations, covering more than 10 countries in West, Central and East Africa as well as the Middle East region.

Through her work experience, Rita has led on programme and strategy design, proposal development, research, analysis and report writing and donor reporting as well as capacity strengthening support including participatory consultations and conversations, facilitation of technical trainings and decision making workshops. She focuses on advancing for a more locally-led response by supporting Global South governments and organisations to write their own story, with a strong commitment to shifting power within the aid sector, for a more just and equitable aid system.