Kirsi Joenpolvi

Thematic expertise: mediation strategy and process design, mediation techniques, multi-track processes, dialogue design, peacebuilding strategies and programming, women’s inclusion in peace processes

Regional/country-specific expertise: Sub-Saharan Africa, the European region, East and Southeast Asia, Central America

Languages: English, Chinese, basic French

Kirsi Joenpolvi works for the United Nations Peacebuilding Support office as Senior Peacebuilding Adviser assisting countries to develop strategies for seeking international support for their peacebuilding priorities through the Peacebuilding Commission. She has also worked as Senior Officer in the Office of the Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Africa on the interrelation between peace and development, and in the UN Mediation Support Unit providing technical advice to the UN’s mediation efforts at the subnational and local levels and enhancing mediation support capacities of regional organizations. Prior to joining the UN in 2015, Ms Joenpolvi worked for the OSCE in Vienna and advised the Secretary-General in the design of national and local level dialogue processes and the mediation of local ceasefires in Ukraine. In 2007-2013, she headed the Africa Programme of President Ahtisaari’s organization CMI. In that capacity, she supported peace processes in Liberia, Mali and South Sudan and advised the African Union’s Peace and Security Department. Ms Joenpolvi has also worked for UNDP in the resolution of local conflicts in Timor-Leste and Afghanistan, the European Union in Ethiopia (2004-2006) to de-escalate post-electoral violence and the Australian Government (2001-2003) on good governance in China. She is a certified community mediator in New York.