Ali Al-Bayaa received his Master’s degree in International Affairs from Northeastern University in Boston/MA.

Mostafa Mashhad holds a Master’s degree in Political Science and Government from the University of Toronto in Canada and a Masters in English Literature from the University New Orleans/LA.

Both authors are research specialists with broad experience covering the Middle East, in particular Iraq’s human security, durable solutions, and social cohesion issues. Their research interests span a wide range of topics including post-conflict development, population movement and migration pathways, community/area profiling, formal/informal value chain assessments, and political economy analysis with a focus on evidence-based programmatic solutions that meet the unique needs of diverse communities and vulnerable groups. Between 2021–2023, they were both colleagues at iMMAP’s Research and Analysis Unit, where they provided information management services to humanitarian and development organizations, enabling partners to make informed decisions that ultimately provide high-quality targeted assistance to the world’s most vulnerable populations.

All opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this submission are strictly those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of their current or former employers.