Council Members

Council President

United Arab Emirates

Ahmed bin Abdulrahman Al Ghardaqa serves as the President of the Arab Youth Council for Climate Change (AYCCC). He is the Senior Legal Advisor for the COP28 Presidency, as well as a Lead Negotiator and Diplomat at the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Al Ghardaqa’s deep expertise in international law, diplomacy, strategy, policy, and climate negotiations enables him to guide youth in understanding and navigating complex climate governance structures.

In addition to his diplomatic roles, Ahmed is also an academic scholar with postgraduate degrees in International Law, International Relations, Diplomacy, Defence, International Security, Cyber Security, Strategy, and Humanitarian Action and Development.

Through the AYCCC, he aims to connect young leaders with influential climate stakeholders, amplifying their voices in global forums such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Under Al Ghardaqa’s leadership, the AYCCC is dedicated to creating opportunities for youth to contribute to national and international climate solutions, leveraging their innovation and enthusiasm to drive impactful environmental change.

Council Vice President

Bahrain

Aysha Alsherooqi – Vice President of the Arab Youth Council for Climate Change (AYCCC). Holds a bachelor’s degree in law from ASU. And Mastering Climate Negotiations certificate from Harvard School with over Six years of experience in Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and youth empowerment. Plays an active role in having a positive impact towards Climate Change and SDGs through her position as an SDGs Programs and Youth Activities Specialist at the Bahrain Science Center for SDGs under the Ministry of Youth Affairs in Bahrain. Her work focuses on creating a responsible, solution-oriented generation that takes proactive action to solve environmental, economic, and social challenges locally, regionally, and globally.  

Aysha is leading the Arab Youth Climate Network project within the AYCCC, fostering collaboration and action among youth across the Arab world by providing opportunities to the members in addition to providing a platform that serves as a virtual hub for them.

Member of the founding team of Ghaya Ecosystem, an ecosystem for science-driven social innovation and entrepreneurship works to support the social innovation community in Bahrain and to catalyze collaboration between local actors from all sectors to achieve the SDGs.  

Her outstanding work has earned her the Climate Innovation Initiative Collaboration Award from the Supreme Council of Environment and the recognition to be selected as one of the 100 International Youth Climate Delegates around the world for COP28. Additionally, she has been selected as a Bahraini Youth Ambassador in 2024 by H.E Rawan Bint Najeeb Tawfeeqi, the Minister of Youth in Bahrain.

Outreach Coordinator to the Council

United Arab Emirates

Ruwayya Almehrzi is an ex-Associate Consultant at Bain & Company, where she worked across various sectors, focusing on strategy and market analysis. She also gained valuable experience in sustainability through her participation in Masdar's Future Sustainability Leaders Program, where she contributed to key sustainability initiatives. Ruwayya holds a BEng (Hons) in Chemical Engineering from The University of Manchester.

Partnerships and Research Officer to the Council

Tunisia

Walid is a committed professional with over three years of specialized experience in climate finance, diplomacy, and digital technologies. He holds a master's degree in Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management from the University of Liverpool, where his research focused on ""The Role of Technology Adoption in Enabling Corporate Sustainable Transition: Africa as a Case Study."" He also earned a bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Tunis Business School, specializing in Business Analytics.

Currently serving as a Project Officer at the United Nations Environment Programme in Copenhagen, Walid focuses on climate technology transfer and assessments for developing countries, with a particular emphasis on Francophone Africa. His work helps facilitate the adoption of sustainable technologies in these regions. Previously, he worked as an innovation intern at the UNDP Regional Bureau for the Arab States and UNDP Tunisia, where he contributed to the development of innovative service lines. As a Climate Finance and Loss and Damage negotiator for Tunisia from COP26 to COP28, Walid played a pivotal role in advancing the positions of both the African and Arab Groups in international climate negotiations. In his role with the Youth Negotiators Academy, Walid provided technical guidance to over 200 young negotiators, equipping them with the skills to navigate complex negotiations and effectively represent their countries at COP conferences.  

Beyond his professional endeavors, Walid is an active member of the Arab Youth Council For Climate Change and UNESCO’s Youth Climate Action Network Steering Committee. He has led impactful grassroots initiatives and promoted cross-collaboration among youth-led networks, particularly at COP28 and COY18, with a focus on climate education, youth engagement, and multi-sectoral collaboration.

Partnerships Officer to the Council

Saudi Arabia

Rakan Alonazy is a dynamic professional based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with a solid background in the energy sector. During his professional journey at Saudi Aramco, Rakan has held various roles focused on renewable energy, corporate sustainability, and energy transition. He has successfully led strategic initiatives that have contributed to reducing national and corporate carbon footprints. His expertise spans multiple disciplines, supported by his academic achievements, including three Master’s degrees in Engineering Management, Sustainable & Renewable Energy, and Environmental Management. This unique blend of knowledge allows him to approach energy transition from a multidisciplinary perspective.

Driven by his passion for innovation and climate action, Rakan is now focused on building 'Spark Ventures', a Climate Tech venture capital fund. He sees tremendous potential in scaling impactful climate tech solutions, particularly in emerging markets like the Middle East and Latin America, where sustainable innovations can create both environmental and economic benefits. His vision is to drive innovation that tackles urgent climate challenges and accelerate a transition toward a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable future.

Outreach Coordinator and Partnerships Officer to the Council

Palestine

Saed Hanani, a 24-year-old Palestinian, is a youth climate leader and advocate for sustainable entrepreneurship, has garnered 22 awards for his impactful work, and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering and Renewable Energy.  

He is the founder and CEO of Furange, a startup that produces environmentally friendly fabrics made from orange peels. He is also the co-founder and CEO of Foras Khadra, the world's first platform to share sustainable green opportunities; and the co-founder and PR head of AYGVN, a network dedicated to empowering Arab youth in combating climate change and environmental challenges.

His work spans startups and initiatives across the Arab world, focusing on youth empowerment and sustainability.  

Saed's climate action expertise led to addressing the UN Secretary-General as a youth climate leader in COP28. He's also spoken at global forums like the IUCN Leaders Forum 2022, COP28, MANA RCOY2023, and MANA CW2023.

He has played a vital role in launching numerous startups, organizations, and innovative initiatives across the Arab world. Saed dedicates his efforts to empowering Arab youth through these entities and has organized many events promoting sustainability regionally and globally.

He is the former president of the IEEE branch at his university, an IEEE Ambassador for Entrepreneurship, and the recipient of the Best Ambassador Award in EMEA 2022. He is also an Ambassador for Orange Corners, a Dutch entrepreneurial initiative and the Director of Entrepreneurship at the EMEA Gathering 2022. Additionally, he is a co-founder and director of the IEEE PIONER and DOC THAC competitions.

Communications and Research Officer to the Council

Morocco

Raouiae Khouyi is a public policy and governance professional with a strong track record in program management, research, and capacity building. She holds a Master's degree in Public Policy and Governance from Mohammed V University , a Bachelor's degree in Public Law from Abdelmalek Essaadi University and recently completed an Executive Course on Subnational Governance and Diplomacy at the Elliott School of International Affairs, George Washington University.

Currently, Raouiae serves as a Program Associate at the National Democratic Institute (NDI). In addition to her role, she has consulted on gender approaches in African agriculture and researched public trust in political institutions. Her commitment to climate and sustainability advocacy is evident through her facilitation of Erasmus+ projects in Morocco, Tunisia, and Turkey.

Previously, she held a position at NIMAR - The Kingdom of Netherlands Embassy in Morocco, where she led democratic education initiatives, such as the “School of Democracy” project, focused on youth and political participation.

Fluent in Arabic, English, and French, Raouiae leverages her multicultural perspective and interdisciplinary expertise, establishing herself as a valuable asset in governance, urban diplomacy, and climate advocacy. 

Communications Officer to the council

Kuwait

Mariam is a Kuwaiti professional working in sustainability and climate action, with previous experience in government, research, and the non-profit sector.

She is the founder and director of AlManakh: a climate action & sustainability advocacy nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing climate awareness in Kuwait, through research, education and community engagement. You can learn more about it here: www.almanakhkw.org

She’s very interested in exploring climate solutions, healthy urbanism, and sustainable cities as she is also a LEED-certified Civil and Structural Engineer with a Master of Science in Sustainable Cities. 

Partnerships Officer to the Council

Jordan

Jude is a stewardship specialist at the UN-supported Principles for Responsible Investment (UNPRI), where she works on Climate Action 100+, the world’s largest investor-led engagement initiative on climate change. In her role, she works with stakeholders across public, private, and third sectors, and coordinates investor engagement on decarbonisation with some of the world’s top corporate emitters, focusing on the aviation, chemicals, and electric utilities sectors across jurisdictions.  

Alongside her job, Jude represents Jordan on the Arab Youth Council for Climate Change (AYCCC). She has also been part of the co-founding team building an early-stage start-up, Root, which focuses on shareholder engagement. Previously, she has worked on carbon pricing and ESG analysis, as well as with multiple social impact start-ups, with a focus on climate change, as well as financial and social inclusion.  

Jude holds an MSc in Climate Change, Management and Finance from Imperial College London, where she focused her research on climate change impacts and opportunities in the MENA region, including the production of an individual report on the low carbon transition in oil-exporting Arab nations. She also holds a BA (Hons) in Business Management and German with a Year Abroad from King’s College London.

Jude speaks Arabic, English, German and Spanish, and credits her scuba diving hobby for nurturing her interest in sustainability. 

Outreach Coordinator and Research Officer to the Council

Jordan

Anas Zwahreh holds a bachelor's degree in Agricultural Engineering, specializing in Land and Water Management, and a master's degree in Climate Change and Sustainability of Arid Lands. Anas has extensive experience in project management within non-profit organizations, having worked for over four years in development and youth empowerment, particularly focusing on vulnerable communities in climate-related issues. He has led numerous programs aimed at enhancing the resilience of local communities to the impacts of climate change and raising awareness of the importance of climate education.

While working at the Green Generation Foundation, Anas led a regional team from various Arab countries to design a position paper highlighting the nationally determined contributions (NDCs) by analyzing existing gaps and exploring future opportunities. Recently, he joined the International Good Neighbor Organization in Jordan, where he leads the implementation of activities within a project that focuses on empowering the most vulnerable communities against the impacts of climate change, with an emphasis on green jobs and entrepreneurship in sectors such as water, agriculture, energy, transportation, waste recycling, and sustainable tourism.

Moreover, Anas represents Jordan on the Arab Youth Council for Climate Change and is a prominent environmental activist. He is involved in several youth initiatives, including being a member of the Youth Council for the Islamic Network for Water Resource Management and part of the youth support team for the Parliamentary Environment Committee. He was also part of the Jordanian delegation at the recent climate conference COP 28 in the UAE.

Communications Officer to the council

Egypt

Amr Ramadan is currently pursuing an MA in Educational and International Development at the UCL Institute of Education, funded by the UK government as a Chevening scholar. He is the founder and CEO of Empower Hub, managing sustainable development grants for national and international organizations. As a content creator, Amr has over 180K subscribers on YouTube and tens of thousands of followers across various platforms, where he shares insights from his travels to 20+ countries and 40+ educational programs, including a summer semester at Bard College, New York, sponsored by the US Department of State.

Amr has achieved notable recognition on global platforms. In March 2023, he delivered a TED Talk titled “Can Carbon Taxes Achieve Climate Justice?”  which became the most viewed among 17 talks in the event, attended by over 3,000 people including members of  Royal Families and giant corporate CEOs. In July 2023, he was invited to speak at the Women Deliver 2023 Conference in Kigali, Rwanda, alongside global leaders, Nobel Prize laureates, and ministers, and this conference had an audience of over 6,000. In October 2022, Amr was the only Egyptian selected for the prestigious IMF Youth Fellowship, he also attended the IMF world meetings in Marrakech, Morrocco. He also served on the COP27 Youth Taskforce, working directly with the COP27 President’s Youth Envoy.  As a Global Voice for Climate, featured by the British Council, Amr had the opportunity to meet with the UK Secretary for Foreign Affairs during COP27. Amr’s main mission in life is promoting access to quality education for marginalized communities as he is the first in his family to go to college, he strongly believes that people closest to pain must be closest to power.  

Research Officer and Outreach Coordinator to the Council

Yemen

Talal Ahmed was recently selected as a member of AYCCC (2024-2026). He is a Science and Technology Engineer with a Master of Public Policy focused on Sustainable Development from the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies and a bachelor’s degree from UTeM University, Malaysia. He actively integrates innovation and sustainability to address real-world challenges, leading initiatives like STEAMathon Qatar that tackles climate and environmental issues through hands-on STEM projects.

Talal serves as Chairman of the Arab Youth Advisory Group for Disaster Risk Reduction to the UNDRR and has held leadership roles, including Regional Focal Point for DRR in MENA and Regional Facilitator for West Asia within different Major Groups of Children and Youth. He is the founder of the Youth Advocates for Sustainable Development Network (YASD), which empowers youth through advocacy, mentorship, and community projects.

In 2023, Talal was selected among 40 youth globally by the Global Cultural Relations Platform – EU initiative – for his work integrating climate action with creative solutions. His certifications include a diploma from the Arab Innovation Academy and IRENA-Italy ACT TOT, showcasing his expertise in fostering youth leadership and climate action through training and innovative approaches.

Talal has also played critical roles with Teach for Qatar organization where he actively contributed to the organization's mission of reinvesting talented leaders into Qatar's education system through the Leadership Journey program and beyond. He has also shared his insights on climate action and sustainable development in several international experiences such as the ECOSOC Youth Forum 2023 and RCOY MENA 2024.