Ms. Kawtar Zerouali
Country Lead, UNCDF
Ms. Kawtar Zerouali is the Deputy Director of the Natural Assets Team (NAT) and UNCDF’s Rwanda Country Lead, based in Kigali, Rwanda. She leads the Food Security Accelerator in Africa in collaboration with the African Adaptation Initiative, which invests in climate-adaptive food system solutions, with a particular emphasis on nature-positive, adaptation-centric businesses in Africa. With over two decades of international development experience, Kawtar has played pivotal roles at the global, regional, and national levels, focusing on systems transformation, gender equality, youth leadership, and financial inclusivity. Her career includes key positions within UNDP, such as Deputy Resident Representative in Djibouti and Saudi Arabia, Regional Innovation Advisor, and Regional Programme Manager for the Youth Leadership Programme. Kawtar’s expertise also extends to supporting Tunisia’s Constitutional Process as a National Dialogue/Civil Society Strengthening Specialist.