Erwin van Veen
Senior Research Fellow
Expertise
- Conflict and Fragility
- Security and Justice
- Aid Architecture
Regions
- Middle East & North Africa
Erwin van Veen is a senior research fellow at Clingendael’s Conflict Research Unit (CRU). He is an experienced professional who delivers high quality and insightful strategic advice that helps mitigate violent conflict. His direct area of expertise are the relationships between political order, protest and violence in countries like Iraq, Israel/Palestine, Syria and Turkey.
As head of Clingendael’s Middle East programme, Erwin leads a diverse team of five experts that researches conflict dynamics and prospects for political reform in this region. Such analysis aims to help clients like ministries of foreign affairs, international organisations and NGOs. By blending research with op-eds, timely events, media appearances, workshop facilitation and occasional trainings, Erwin and his team take pride in helping clients develop innovative, evidence-based and humane policy responses to contemporary conflicts.
Erwin’s personal strengths include a broad curiosity, a quick grasp of complexity and the ability to combine the conceptual with the practical. Matching past achievements include the co-creation of major policy innovations such as:
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The International Security Sector Advisory Team – an international expert team on security sector reform.
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The New Deal for Engagement in Fragile States – an agreement between 40+ states and international organisations to improve aid provision to fragile states.
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The Knowledge Platform Security and Rule of Law – a mechanism for knowledge brokerage and uptake among policymakers and practitioners engaged in conflict-affected countries.
Furthermore, Erwin is a member of the United Nations Security Sector Reform Advisory Network, the advisory group to the NATO mission in Iraq (NMI) and a fellow at the Center for Syria Studies at the University of St. Andrews.
His previous experiences include roles as peacebuilding and conflict specialist at the OECD (2010-2013), security and development advisor at the Dutch ministry of Foreign Affairs (2006-2010) and human resource business advisor at Shell (2003-2005). Erwin obtained university degrees in public administration, security sector management and EU politics – all with distinction.
