Eliane Ubalijoro is the new Chief Executive Officer of the Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF), the global agency’s board of trustees announced on Tuesday, January 17.

The agency conducts research on various pressing challenges of forest and landscape management around the world.

Ubalijoro, who currently serves as Professor of Practice for public-private sector partnerships at Canada-based McGill University’s Institute for the Study of International Development is expected to officially assume office in May, 2023.

Over the past two decades, her research has focused on innovation, gender, and sustainable development, reads part of the communique.

"I see CIFOR-ICRAF as a critical institution, poised to accelerate its research and impact, leading the way to achieving the 2030 goals by harnessing the potential of forestry and agroforestry to create ecosystems that generate prosperity, sustainably,” Ubalijoro said.

During her tenure, she seeks to combine her wealth of knowledge in forestry, ecology and sustainable agriculture with the transparency that high-resolution satellite data and artificial intelligence can bring to connect with work that aims to increase biodiversity worldwide and ensure transparency in terms of carbon sequestration.

Ubalijoro replaces renowned forestry scientist Robert Nasi, who was moved to the position of Chief Operating Officer.

"This appointment marks a new era for CIFOR-ICRAF,” said Nasi. "As the potential of trees and forests in addressing the climate, food and biodiversity crises becomes increasingly apparent, the new leadership team stands ready to take CIFOR-ICRAF into an ambitious era of growth to provide much-needed solutions to some of the greatest challenges of our time.”

"CIFOR-ICRAF has never been better equipped than now, with the combination of Dr Ubalijoro’s wealth of experience in agricultural research, digital innovation and transformational leadership, and Dr Nasi’s deep knowledge of tropical forestry and exemplary success in guiding both organizations through the merger,” said CIFOR-ICRAF Board Chair Doris Capistrano.

"We look forward to the new heights CIFOR-ICRAF will reach in its mission to address interconnected global challenges through the power of forests, trees and agroforestry,” Capistrano added.