The future of HD’s peacemaking: Dr Joanne Liu elected as Board Chair as Ambassador Pierre Vimont retires

As the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD) evolves to pursue peace in a world of rapidly changing conflicts, our Foundation Board is starting a new journey with the retirement of Ambassador Pierre Vimont as Chair and the election of global health leader Dr Joanne Liu as his successor.   

Liu – a Canadian medical doctor, humanitarian actor in fragile areas and former International President of Médecins Sans Frontières – joined HD’s Board in 2019. The handover from Vimont to Liu in April coincides with two other Board members ending their terms and two new ones starting.

Vimont, a Senior Associate at Carnegie Europe and former Executive Secretary-General of the European External Action Service with an extensive career in the French diplomatic service, joined the Board in 2015. He served as Chair in 2016 to 2019 and again from late 2021.

“Pierre’s contribution to diplomacy and peace – and to the success of HD – cannot be overstated. We will miss his perspective and wise, creative counsel on the Board but we look forward to working together in other ways to deliver valuable peacemaking results in this tense and turbulent world,” said David Harland, HD’s Executive Director since 2011.

“We welcome Joanne in her new role, building on her expertise in multidimensional conflict and complex humanitarian situations that she already brings to the Board. Her leadership will guide us as HD evolves alongside growing risks of inter-state conflict and threats ranging from climate change to social media and artificial intelligence.”

The Board changes include two members leaving after nine years each – Sarah Cliffe, Director of the Center on International Cooperation at the University of New York, and Ameerah Haq, a senior UN official with nearly 40 years of experience, including 19 years in the field.

Joining the Board are Nobukatsu Kanehara, Executive Director of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation and a former Japanese diplomat, and Kyung-wha Kang, Distinguished Professor at the Institute for Global Engagement and Empowerment at Yonsei University and South Korea’s first female Minister of Foreign Affairs.

“Sarah and Ameerah have been terrific assets on the Board, including their committee work, and HD thanks them warmly,” Harland said. “As HD welcomes Nobukatsu and Kyung-wha, we know we’ll benefit from their experience and perspective.”

The independent Board governs HD, a non-profit foundation, with responsibility for our strategic direction and the oversight and approval of our budget and annual programme of work. Members sit on a voluntary, unpaid and private basis.

“Multidimensional conflicts in the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Eurasia show how pervasive crises are testing an already challenged multilateral system and traditional ways of negotiation. This makes HD’s discreet and independent mediation even more important in preventing and resolving conflict,” Liu said.

“In these times of polarisation and multiple risks, I’m honoured to contribute to an even more robust and adaptable HD that is strengthening its own peacemaking work and the practice of mediation with new tools and approaches built on 25 years of results.”

Vimont and Liu were both part of the Board’s input on HD’s new strategy for 2024 to 2027 that reflects the many emerging challenges and the opportunities to reduce conflict and mitigate human suffering.  

“It has been an honour to head a Board that remains flexible and responsive in supporting HD’s vital work to find common ground and achieve peace,” said Vimont, who holds the lifetime title of Ambassador of France.

“This mission is ever more challenging in an antagonistic, multipolar world but I have no doubt that the lessons learned over 25 years and the fresh innovation flowing will ensure HD’s continued contributions to mediation and peacemaking.”