Ammar joined IWPR in 2004 and currently holds overall responsibility for activities in Syria and Iraq, where IWPR has offices in Baghdad, Suleimaniyah and Erbil. He provides leadership for programs including a new Iraqi Media Institute, print and radio production, and developing female Iraqi journalists. Ammar is also a special advisor on media, outreach strategy and civil society issues to an Iraqi member of parliament and environment minister. Before joining IWPR, Ammar worked as civil society program director for the Iraq Foundation. He opened the Foundation’s office in Baghdad, developed and managed the organization’s projects. Prior to that, as assistant manager, he was responsible for editorial management of the opinion pages of the Iraq Information Network. He has covered the Middle East with a special focus on Iraq over many years. Ammar holds a degree in sociology and international relations from the University of Westminster in London. Ammar speaks fluent Arabic, Persian, English and Swedish.