Dr. Nouri Abdalla

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 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 UNIDO, where he has led multi-million-dollar GEF-funded projects across the SADC region. His work encompasses full-cycle project development, coordination, and implementation in areas of capacity-building and sustainable development. He has developed and reviewed technical project documents, managed pilot demonstration sites, facilitated regional workshops, and overseen monitoring and evaluation frameworks. His expertise includes developing technical TORs, managing procurement processes, budgeting, and organizing high-level events and stakeholder consultations.
• 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, conflict resolution, and pathways to peaceful settlement.
• Politically, Dr. Abdalla has played a key role in Sudan’s peace processes, serving as 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., and Swiss envoys to unify opposition movements. After the war broke out between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), he led 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 rights, and institutional reform. His advocacy continues to focus on transitional justice, human rights, and inclusive governance.
• Fluent in Arabic and English, with intermediate proficiency in French, Dr. Abdalla is a strategic thinker and effective communicator known for his diplomatic acumen and ethical leadership. He brings a unique blend of human rights and social justice advocacy, political insight, technical expertise, and grassroots engagement to every initiative he leads.