Vincent Darracq serves as Regional Director at Promediation since November 2021. Prior to joining the organization, he spent five years as a member of the United Nations Panel of Experts on Sudan, where he focused on the conflict in Darfur, armed actors, and the peace process. Before his tenure with the UN, Vincent worked for the French Ministry of Defence and several consulting firms, specializing in political and security risk analysis across Africa, with a particular focus on Central and Southern Africa. He holds a PhD in Political Science from the University of Bordeaux IV (2010) and has authored numerous reports and articles on international relations and conflict in Africa for leading think tanks—including Chatham House, IFRI, and the EUISS—as well as academic journals such as African Affairs and Politique Africaine.

Benjamin Attal joined Promediation’s operational team in March 2020. He served as Libya Programme Officer based in Tunis for 3 years, before becoming Deputy Regional Director, primarily covering programs implemented in Libya, Niger, and Sudan, while also supporting Promediation’s activities in neighboring countries. Benjamin holds a Master’s degree in International Relations from Sciences Po Lyon, specializing in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Holding a diploma from the National Institute for Oriental Languages and Civilizations (INALCO) in Paris, he subsequently joined the Department for the Teaching of Contemporary Arabic (DEAC) at the French Institute in Cairo. Based in Cairo from 2018 to 2020, his work included time at the Political Section of the Delegation of the European Union to Egypt. Benjamin began his professional career at the French Ministry of Armed Forces, first at the Directorate General of Armaments (DGA) and then at the Directorate General for International Relations and Strategy (DGRIS). His responsibilities respectively included European defense issues and strategic matters relating to the Gulf countries.

Gabriel Vargas joined Promediation’s operational team in November 2021 as Programme Manager for Sudan. He is responsible for overseeing the implementation of activities supporting the peace process and stabilization efforts in the country. He holds a Magistère in International Relations and International Action, along with a dual Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy and Political Science from the University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne. Gabriel specialized in the study of relations between Latin America and the Middle East. He studied both dialectal and standard Arabic at the National Institute for Oriental Languages and Civilizations (INALCO) and at Paris 1, and also completed a semester at the Faculty of Economics and Political Science at Cairo University. Before joining Promediation, Gabriel gained experience through internships at various think tanks and international organizations. He began his professional career as a Study Manager at the French state agency Business France, where he coordinated global monitoring of agri-food sectors in countries of strategic interest to France.

Mohamed Zakria Yahya Mater ‘Kamon’ graduated with honors in Natural Resources and Environmental Studies from the University of Juba. He has practical experience in natural resource management in both South Sudan (Yei) and Sudan (Blue Nile). As an active member of Sudanese civil society and a committed human rights advocate, Mohamed joined Promediation’s Sudan team in 2020, aiming to contribute to the national peace process and support a sustainable democratic transition in Sudan. Originally from West Darfur, Mohamed possesses deep insight into local community dynamics and the root causes of conflict in the country. Having lived in several capitals across the Horn of Africa before returning to Sudan, he was actively engaged in Juba from October 2019 as an observer of the peace negotiations between Sudan’s transitional government and armed opposition movements.

Ibrahim Musa Hussin Ali is an active member of Sudanese civil society, deeply committed to the defense of human rights and the promotion of justice for victims of conflict. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Al-Neelain and has completed numerous trainings in areas such as volunteerism, strategic planning, and youth leadership. He participated in the Youth Ambassadors for Peace program and was selected for the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) in 2019. With extensive experience as a facilitator in peacebuilding and conflict mitigation, Ibrahim possesses a deep understanding of Sudan’s diverse social fabric, particularly within Darfurian communities. He joined Promediation’s Sudan team in 2020, bringing his expertise to support inclusive and sustainable peace efforts across Sudanese communities. Prior to joining Promediation, he worked with the African Union – United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) and on a GIZ training project for Sudanese civil society organizations.

Nour Hedjazi joined Promediation’s team in September 2023 as Programme Manager for the Sahel-Maghreb region. She holds a Master’s degree in Research and Geopolitics from the French Institute of Geopolitics (IFG, University of Paris 8) and is currently pursuing a PhD in Geopolitics at the CITERES research laboratory of the University of Tours, in co-supervision with the CERI at Sciences Po Paris. Nour began her professional career in consulting firms and with regional and international organizations. Her work has primarily focused on the Libyan conflict and, more broadly, on power dynamics in North Africa and the Middle East. She is a fluent Arabic speaker and has been studying Russian for several years.

Before joining Promediation, Amr worked in the fields of mediation, dialogue support, and inclusion with the European Institute of Peace (EIP) in Brussels, and later with the Office of the United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen. He also worked on conflict sensitivity and conflict transformation with Oxfam. Amr has lived and worked in several countries across the MENA region, including Egypt, Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Libya, and Saudi Arabia. Originally trained as an engineer, Amr shifted careers following the Arab Spring in 2011, moving from the construction sector to the field of peacebuilding. He believes that exclusion, inequality, and injustice are the root causes of conflict in the MENA region, and that climate change acts as a threat multiplier, intensifying these challenges. For him, high-level mediation efforts must not be detached from local realities. In Yemen, Syria and beyond, Promediation draws on Amr’s expertise in mediation and dialogue to support local and community-based peacebuilding initiatives and to connect them with national-level efforts, ensuring inclusivity and long-term impact. Amr speaks Arabic, English, and French, and is currently learning Dutch.

Before joining Promediation as a consultant in November 2024, Diane Paugnat worked with several humanitarian organizations, focusing mainly on research and data analysis. She was notably involved in crisis contexts as part of the Security and Crisis Management Unit at the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Geneva. She also worked with unaccompanied minors for the French Red Cross. Diane holds a Master’s degree in Conflict Transformation and Peace Studies from Paris-Dauphine University (2021). She began her career at the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, before contributing to research projects for various think tanks and academic institutions.

Salomé Calmo joined Promediation as an intern in March 2024, before taking on the role of Programme Assistant for Sudan in October 2024. She holds a a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations from University College London and a Master’s degree in Peace, Humanitarian Action, and Development from Sciences Po Lille. During her studies, she completed an exchange year at the Higher School of Economics in Saint Petersburg. Throughout her academic journey, Salomé focused on conflict analysis and resolution, with a particular interest in mediation as a tool for peacebuilding.