Research Faculty & Staff

Dr N. Janardhan

Director, Research and Analysis Department

Dr Janardhan facilitates steering various research programmes to fulfill the Academy’s strategic policy agenda. 

With over 25 years of regional expertise, his research work analyses and unravels the evolving multi-dimensional partnerships between the countries of the Gulf and Asia. In addition, he offers diplomats Post Graduate Diploma and Masters courses in Gulf and Asian foreign policies. His broad-based interests span politics, international relations, diplomacy, security, and migration. His recent research interests span Abraham Accords, minilateralism, Gulf-Asia-Africa relations, new regionalism, and blue economy.  

Apart from numerous academic, think tank and media publications in Asia, Gulf, Europe, and the United States, he is the author of four books – ‘The Arab Gulf’s Pivot to Asia: From Transactional to Strategic Partnerships (ed., Gerlach, 2020); ‘A New Gulf Security Architecture: Prospects and Challenges for an Asian Role’ (ed., Gerlach, 2014); ‘India and the Gulf: What Next?’ (ed., Gulf Research Center Cambridge, 2013); and ‘Boom amid Gloom: Spirit of Possibility in the 21st Century Gulf’ (Ithaca, 2011). His fifth book – tentatively titled ‘Overcoming Smallness: Gulf Countries as Middle Powers’ – is scheduled to be published in 2024.

Dr Janardhan is Non-Resident Fellow at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington and Managing Assistant Editor of the ‘Journal of Arabian Studies’ (Routledge).

In his previous stints, he has served as a political analyst in government and private institutions in the United Arab Emirates – the Ministry of State for Federal National Council Affairs, the Gulf Research Center and ‘The Gulf Today’ – and ‘The Asian Age’ in India.

With a PhD from the Centre for West Asian Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, he is part of several Track 2 and Track 1.5 initiatives dealing with Gulf issues.
In his free time, Dr Janardhan is also an avid sportsperson and manages a social transformation initiative (matrushree.com).
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H.E. Amb. Husain Haqqani

Senior Research Fellow and Diplomat-in-Residence

H.E. was the former Ambassador of Pakistan to the U.S., serving from 2008 to 2011. During his role as Ambassador, H.E. Haqqani was widely credited with managing challenging partnerships during a critical phase in the global war on terrorism. His distinguished career in government, includes serving as an Advisor to four Pakistani Prime Ministers. He also served as Pakistan’s Ambassador to Sri Lanka from 1992 to 1993.

H.E. Haqqani was also a former Senior Fellow at Hudson Institute, co-editing the journal Current Trends in Islamic Ideology. Prior to this role, he was the Director of the Center of International Relations, and a Professor of the Practice of International Relations at Boston University. His areas of expertise include diplomacy, Muslim political movements, international journalism, and intercultural relations.

Earlier in his career, he was an East-Asian journalist for Arabia: The Islamic World Review. He also wrote extensively on Muslims in China and East Asia. During his journalism career, he was also the Pakistan and Afghanistan correspondent for the Far Eastern Economic Review.

H.E. is the author of four books: Pakistan Between Mosque and Military; Magnificent Delusions: Pakistan, the United States and an Epic History of Misunderstanding; India vs Pakistan: Why Can’t We Just Be Friends? And Reimagining Pakistan: Transforming a Dysfunctional Nuclear State.

H.E. Haqqani received his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in International Relations from the University of Karachi, Pakistan. View Details and Publications

Dr Sara J. Chehab

Senior Research Fellow

 Dr. Sara Chehab is a Senior Research Fellow at the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy (AGDA), specializing in gender and diplomacy. In addition, she teaches courses on International Economics, Political Economy, Comparative Politics and Global Contemporary Affairs and offers executive training courses in economic diplomacy, gender studies, and women, peace and security (WPS). 

Prior to this role, Dr Chehab was Assistant Professor at Zayed University in Dubai, where she received a Teaching Excellence Award in 2014.

Dr Chehab’s research interests revolve around gender and diplomacy and women in foreign policy. She is the author of the annual  Women in Diplomacy Index, a unique index that tracks the percentage share of women ambassadors in over 40 countries. Her published works include the article, Social Networks and News: The Case of Emirati Women in Dubai and several opinion pieces in leading newspapers. 

Dr Chehab received her PhD in Political Science and International Relations, from the University of Delaware in the US. She also holds a Master’s Degree in Political Science and International Relations from the same university, as well as a Bachelor’s Degree in International Affairs and Diplomacy from the Lebanese American University (LAU), in Lebanon.

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Dr. Seppe Verheyen

Senior Research Fellow

Dr. Seppe Verheyen is a Senior Research Fellow at the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy (AGDA), where he conducts research on tech diplomacy, latest trends in diplomacy, diplomatic best practices and skills training. 

Previously, Dr. Verheyen, served as the Chief of Staff at the academy. In this role he acted as an advisor to the Director-General, facilitated effective decision-making and coordinated and executed strategic initiatives. 

Dr Verheyen worked before at American University in the Emirates as Director of the Master of Arts in Diplomacy and Director of the International Office. In his dual role, Dr. Verheyen imparted the theoretical and practical knowledge to Emirati students to enhance their diplomatic skills. He also played an active role in setting up international and local partnerships to increase the university’s profile. 

Prior to starting his PhD at Trinity College in Dublin, Dr. Verheyen worked at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Belgian Permanent Representation to the European Union (EU) as an advisor. He was involved in drafting EU foreign policies and represented Belgium on the EU Forum. 

Dr. Verheyen has consulted political parties in Belgium and Ireland on policies and is a frequent speaker at conferences covering topics in Diplomacy, Smart Cities, Leadership and Skills training. 

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Zakareya M. Salman

Translator

Zakareya M. Salman is Translator at Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy. He translates all publications of the Research and Analysis Department as well as AGDA-wide communications with stakeholders from English to Arabic and vice versa.

Mr Salman has 10 years of experience in translation and interpreting, and is a member of several professional translation associations.

Before joining AGDA, Mr Salman worked at the General Headquarters of the UAE Armed Forces, including acting as an interpreter for the Director of Training and interpreting at high-level meetings. During this time, he translated and edited several books on military training and professional development.

Mr Salman has a bachelor’s degree in English Language and Literature from the Faculty of Modern Languages and Translation at Ain Shams University in Egypt, and is currently pursuing a degree in law.

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Dr. Victoria Stewart -Jolley

Senior Research Fellow

Dr. Victoria Stewart -Jolley is a Senior Research Fellow at the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy (AGDA), specialising in post-conflict democratisation processes from both a legal and political perspective. 

Prior to her role at AGDA, Dr. Stewart -Jolley served as a Senior EDR Advisor in the UNDP ELECT Team in Afghanistan. She also held other prominent positions, including Senior Trainer at the UN Women in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Advisor, Electoral in the Commonwealth Secretariat in Papua New Guinea; and Course Director of the International Law/International Relations Undergraduate Certificate at the University of Cambridge. 

As a well-regarded international expert, Dr. Stewart-Jolley has received numerous grants and awards, including the Christs College Studentship, Conference Grant ASIL. She also authored various publications, including “Iraq’s electoral system: Why successive reforms fail to bring change,” and “Explaining Iraq’s Election Results.” 


Dr. Stewart-Jolley received her PhD in International Law/Relations and a Master of Studies in International Law/Relations with Distinction from the University of Cambridge. She also received her Master of Laws in Public International Law from the University of Edinburgh, as well as her Bachelor of Laws from the University of Sussex.
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Dr. Khalifa Al Suwaidi

Research Fellow

Dr. Khalifa Al Suwaidi is a Research Fellow at the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy (AGDA), specializing in International Relations.

Prior to joining AGDA, Dr. Al Suwaidi was a Researcher at the Supreme Council for National Security and recently published a book titled ‘The UAE after the Arab Spring: Strategy for Survival’.

Dr. Al Suwaidi also holds a Ph.D in Government and International Affairs and a Master of Arts in International Relations (Middle East) from Durham University; an LLM in International law and International Relations from the University of Kent; and a BA in Politics from Newcastle University at the UK.

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Moustafa Bayoumi

Research Fellow

Mr. Moustafa Bayoumi is a Research Fellow - Energy, Climate Change and Sustainable Development at the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy. His research focuses on the climate change negotiations, energy transitions and adaptation to climate change impacts in the MENA region. He is also a member of the UAE’s Climate change Research Network.

His background experience includes leading an essential role at the Mohammed Bin Rashid School of Government (MBRSG) as an Associate Researcher – Research and Advisory from 2019 to 2022, where he conducted research on diverse areas of sustainable development policy, including governmental responses to climate change and the Sustainable Development Goals in the Arab Region.

Prior to that, he was a Research Assistant at Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) in Sweden, where he contributed research towards a project on the impacts of climate change on the water and sanitation sector leading to a peer reviewed journal publication.

Furthermore, he has authored various publications, including ‘Financing a Green Transition in the Middle East,’ as well as ‘Aligning Policies with Green, Resilient and Just Recoveries in the Middle East,’ both for the MBRSG. His most recent publication is the 2022 Arab Region SDG Index and Dashboard Report.

Mr. Bayoumi received his Master of Science in Sustainable Development from Uppsala University in Sweden in 2019; Public Policy Analysis Certificate from the London School of Economics and Political Science; and Business and Sustainability Certificate from the University of Geneva.

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