UNESCO Renews Chair on Environmental Law and Sustainable Development at Hamad Bin Khalifa University

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has renewed the UNESCO Chair on Environmental Law and Sustainable Development at Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), with Dr. Damilola Olawuyi continuing as Chairholder. This extension recognizes the Chair’s contributions to research, policy engagement, capacity development, and international collaboration in addressing global environmental challenges. 

Since its launch in 2022, the Chair has hosted conferences and workshops, including its flagship Distinguished Speaker Series, to raise awareness and build collaborations with governments, international organizations, and research institutions on the legal dimensions of sustainable development. Under Dr. Olawuyi’s leadership, it has also significantly strengthened research, training, public dialogue, and international cooperation to support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Qatar and across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. 

Commenting on the renewal, Dr. Olawuyi stated: “We are proud of our work since the establishment of the UNESCO Chair, and this renewal is a result of our consistency and commitment to our responsibilities. This role gives us a platform to leverage collaborations, promote research, facilitate knowledge transfer, and co-develop solutions to shared challenges, while helping shape legal frameworks, governance models, and economic policies that support Qatar’s aspirations for global leadership and sustainable development.”

Dr. Susan L. Karamanian, Dean of the College of Law, added: “The renewal of the HBKU UNESCO Chair on Environmental Law and Sustainable Development reaffirms the College of Law’s role in developing critical capacity in an area of law that will only continue to grow in significance: the need to balance natural resources use with the interests of future generations. The College congratulates Dr. Damilola Olawuyi on his accomplishments to date as holder of the Chair, which has heightened the focus on the topic in Qatar and the Middle East, and thanks the leadership of UNESCO and HBKU for their commitment to this important initiative.” 

For his part, Mr. Salah Khaled, Director of the UNESCO Regional Office for the Gulf States and Yemen, said the renewal reflected both the strength of the Chair’s work in recent years and a shared ambition for its future. 

“Under Dr. Damilola Olawuyi’s leadership, the Chair has become an important platform for research, dialogue and collaboration on environmental law and sustainable development. We are pleased to continue our partnership with HBKU and look forward to building on this strong foundation to advance knowledge and action in this important field,” he added.

The Chair’s research has contributed to a growing number of books, articles and policy papers, including the award-winning book, Environmental Law in Arab States (Oxford University Press) – which received the 2023 American Society of International Law (ASIL) Certificate of Merit for High Technical Craftsmanship and Utility to Practicing Lawyers and Scholars. In 2024, Dr. Olawuyi received the Weeramantry International Justice Award which celebrates distinguished senior-level jurists whose lifework, intellect and character reflect the ideals associated with former Vice President of the International Court of Justice, Judge Christopher Weeramantry.