Ms. Kourany has a broad knowledge base and a keen interest in human rights and security issues. After starting her career with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and serving in several African countries for 10 years, she joined the Canadian Foreign Service Institute and worked on a variety of international human rights law issues, such as the Convention on the Rights of the Child and Security Council resolutions 1662 and 1882 on children and armed conflict.

She has led Canada’s efforts to expand the definition of children to include other children affected by conflict. She has represented Canada internationally at the United Nations General Assembly, the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission and the United Nations Human Rights Council. She has served as Canada’s chief negotiator and chair of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme Reform Committee and other initiatives related to governance issues in the mining industries.

During her career, she also served as Special Assistant to the Prime Minister’s Personal Representative for the G8 in Africa. She led the implementation of the 2002 Kananaskis Agreement under the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) and the African Union. Prior to her retirement from the public service in 2019, Ms. Kourany served as head of the Canadian Anti-Daesh and Syria-Iraq Crisis Coordination Secretariat.

Ms. Kourany is fluent in French, English, Spanish and Arabic.