Sahar Al-Jobury... An Iraqi Leading UN Efforts from Cairo to Support Palestinian Refugees
From the corridors of the United Nations, Sahar Al-Jobury has emerged as one of the leading voices advocating for the rights of Palestinian refugees and championing humanitarian justice in one of the most complex crises in the Middle East. With decades of extensive UN experience, Al-Jubouri currently heads the Cairo office of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), where she has been leading the agency’s strategic efforts since 2018 and coordinating emergency response support for the Gaza crisis from Egypt.
Al-Jobury’s UN journey began in the post-Cold War era, serving in peacekeeping missions in Cambodia, Mozambique, Haiti, and the former Yugoslavia—gaining invaluable field experience that equipped her for work in some of the most sensitive global contexts. She later served with the UN Special Commission in Iraq and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), before holding leadership positions in other UN agencies such as the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), where she led advocacy and communications efforts and coordinated with the League of Arab States and the Councils of Arab Ministers of Justice and Interior.
Previously, she also held senior positions with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in both Egypt and Iran, and played a key role in establishing the joint secretariat between IOM and the League of Arab States—an institutional achievement that reflects her ability to build bridges between regional and international organizations.
Al-Jobury holds a Master’s degree in International Business Administration from ESLSCA University in France and a Bachelor’s degree in Translation from Al-Mustansiriya University in Baghdad, giving her a unique blend of linguistic and managerial skills essential in a world that demands precision and cross-cultural communication. Today, she continues to lead the UNRWA office in Cairo, not only as a strategic coordinator, but as a steadfast voice defending the cause of Palestinian refugees and human dignity in the face of profound crises.
