The Independent Eminent Persons for the 2025 Review
Mr. Mohamed Edrees (Egypt)
Mr. Edrees is a former Physician who graduated in the College of Medicine Cairo University in 1983, joined the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs 1987, and acquired a Master’s degree in Political Science from SOAS University of London in 1989. He perused a diversified diplomatic career, serving in the Departments of Policy Planning, US and Canada, Cabinet of the Foreign Minister, International Economic Relations, Arab Affairs, and assumed the position of Assistant Foreign Minister for African Affairs. His Foreign Diplomatic posts included the Egyptian Embassies in the USA, Turkey, Syria and the Mission to the UN in NY. He served as the Deputy Chief of Mission of the Egyptian Embassy in Damascus, DPR of Egypt to the UN in NY, Ambassador of Egypt to Ethiopia and PR to the AU and UN ECA and PR of Egypt to the UN in NY. Mr. Edrees is a former Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission and a member of the Secretary-General’s Seventh Advisory Group of the Peacebuilding Fund.
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Ms. Jayati Ghosh (India)
Jayati Ghosh taught economics at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi for nearly 35 years, and is currently Professor of Economics at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, USA. She has authored and/or edited 21 books and more than 220 scholarly articles. She also writes regularly for popular media, including newspapers, journals and blogs.?She has received several prizes, including the International Labour Organisation’s Decent Work Research Prize for 2011; the 2023 Galbraith award of the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, "in recognition of breakthrough discoveries in economics and outstanding contributions to humanity through leadership, research and service" and the International Economics Association Fellow Award for 2023 for “outstanding work and? excellence in economic research, research-driven popular writing, and economic policymaking.” She has advised governments in India and other countries, and consulted for various international organizations. For two decades from 2002 to 2021, she was the Executive Secretary of International Development Economics Associates (). She has been a member of several international boards and commissions, including the UN High-Level Advisory Board on Economic and Social Affairs, the WHO Council on the Economics of Health for All, the UN Secretary General’s High-Level Advisory Board on Effective Multilateralism, and the Club of Rome.
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Ms. Joyce Mendez (Colombia/Paraguay)
Joice Mendez is a migrant, social entrepreneur, and climate advocate focused on the nexus of water, food and energy justice. Joice co-founded several local and regional youth organizations, including the Latin American Observatory of Geopolitics of Energy, ?the Moema Viezzer Environmental Education Observatory, the Paraguayan Youth for Water and Climate Networks, and the binational Youth Collective of the Parana Basin 3 from the Cultivating Good Water Initiative– a recipient of the UN-Water Best Practice Award in 2015. ?Joice is a major voice of Latin America within leading youth and climate mechanisms, including the UNMGCY’s SDG7 Youth Constituency, the IRENA's Director- General's Global Council on Enabling Youth Action for SDG7. Also acting as Latin America and Caribbean Regional Lead at the Youth Climate Justice Fund.
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Ms. Mendez is a member of the Secretary-General’s Youth Advisory Group on Climate Change.
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Ms. Sara Pantuliano?(United Kingdom)
Ms. Pantuliano is Chief Executive at ODI. She has served on the UNFPA’s ICPD25 High-Level Commission, and the High-Level Group on Humanitarian Resilience and Investing and the Digital Currency Governance Consortium Steering Committee of the World Economic Forum (WEF). She is the Managing Editor of Disasters journal and a Trustee of Muslim Aid. Ms. Pantuliano previously led a high-profile UN response in Sudan’s Nuba Mountains, acted as an observer at the IGAD Sudan peace process and lectured at the University of Dar es Salaam. She was a member of the Independent Team of Advisers established in 2016 by the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) to formulate recommendations on the reform of the UN development system. She holds a PhD in Politics and International Studies and has written extensively on conflict and humanitarian affairs. Ms. Pantuliano was appointed as Companion of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George (CMG) for services to peacebuilding, humanitarian assistance and international development. She is a currently the Chair of the Secretary-General’s Seventh Advisory Group of the Peacebuilding Fund.
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Mr. Danilo Türk (Slovenia)
Emeritus Professor of International Law, diplomat and politician. Prior to his term as the third President of the Republic of Slovenia (2007 – 2012) he was teaching international law at the faculty of Law, University in Ljubljana (1982 – 1992 and 2005 – 2007). He also worked as human rights expert, both in Slovenia and within the UN. Upon independence of Slovenia he was appointed Ambassador of Slovenia to the UN (1992-2000). He served on the UN Security Council in 1998-1999. After successful conclusion of his term, the then Secretary-General Kofi Annan invited him to serve as UN Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs (2000-2005). He returned to Slovenia in 2005 where he was elected third President (2007-2012). In 2016 he was one of the candidates for the post of the Secretary – General of the United Nations. In 2015-2017 he was Chairman of the Global High Level Panel on Water and Peace. In 2022-2023 he served as member of the UN High Level Advisory Board on Effective Multilateralism. He is currently president of Club de Madrid, organization of over 100 former, democratic presidents and prime ministers.
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