Founder, President & CEO
SUCAN Foundation for Peace and Development
Dr. Nouri Abdalla is a Sudanese Canadian humanitarian and development strategist, and human rights advocate with over three decades of leadership in peacebuilding, sustainable development, and international cooperation across Africa. As Founder, President, and CEO of the SUCAN Foundation for Peace and Development, he leads initiatives that advance peace, justice, and resilience in war‑affected communities across Sudan and the wider African region, integrating humanitarian response, human resources development, and institutional support to foster community‑led recovery and sustainable development.
A trained veterinarian and graduate of the University of Khartoum and Simon Fraser University (Canada), Dr. Abdalla blends scientific and managerial expertise with a lifelong commitment to social justice and community empowerment. His early career included veterinary service in Sudan, mentoring students at the Ontario Veterinary College in Canada, and sales and marketing roles in Canada’s pharmaceutical and telecommunications sectors.
For over two decades, Dr. Abdalla has served as Consultant, Regional Project Coordinator, and Assistant Project Manager with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), where he led multi‑million‑dollar GEF‑funded projects across Africa’s SADC region. His work encompassed full‑cycle project development, coordination, and implementation in capacity‑building and sustainable development initiatives, including project design, procurement, budgeting, regional coordination, and monitoring and evaluation.
During the height of the Darfur crisis (2003–2006), Dr. Abdalla worked with the Government of Canada to secure humanitarian funding for displaced populations in Western Darfur. These efforts contributed to Canada becoming the largest humanitarian donor in Sudan during that period. With funding from CIDA, he organized dialogue, negotiation, and conflict‑resolution workshops for opposition groups and civil society organizations, focusing on mediation and pathways toward peaceful settlement.
Dr. Abdalla has played a significant role in Sudan’s peace processes, serving as a senior advisor and resource person during the Abuja and Doha talks between the Government of Sudan and Darfur opposition groups. He also collaborated with Canadian, U.S., Norwegian, and Swiss envoys to unify opposition movements. Following the outbreak of war between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), he convened a high‑level consultative meeting in Lomé, Togo, in July 2023, bringing together Darfurian civil and political leaders to promote a federal vision rooted in peace, equal citizenship, and institutional reform.
Fluent in Arabic and English, with intermediate proficiency in French, Dr. Abdalla is a strategic thinker and effective communicator recognized for diplomatic acumen and ethical leadership. He brings a rare blend of human rights advocacy, political insight, technical expertise, and grassroots engagement to every initiative he leads.