Elpida Rouka

UN Political Adviser, Political Transition Expert

Elpida Rouka is currently based in Jerusalem where she leads the political team for the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, an office which was set up after the Oslo accords.She has worked for the United Nations for over a decade and has most recently served as Principal Political Adviser for the UN's Special Political Missions both in Iraq (2007-2009) and in Afghanistan (2010-2012) where she has dealt with aspects of facilitating peace and political processes, advancing regional dialogue, promoting human rights and assisting with the framework of electoral preparations.   

Previously Elpida has held various positions in the United Nations Headquarters in New York including in the Office of the Iraq Programme, which oversaw the sale of Iraqi oil and the delievery of aid to that country, the Department of Peacekeeping Operations during the surge in multidimensional operations and the Office of the Secretary-General of the United Nations under the  administrations of both Kofi Annan and then Ban Ki-moon. During that time she took part in various good office and mediation initiatives. 

A Greek national, from Thessaloniki Elpida Rouka attended Anatolia College, the American High School of Thessaloniki, before moving to the United States for her studies. She has graduated from Columbia College with a degree in International Relations and East Asian Studies, and from the School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA)  at Columbia University in New York with a degree in Economic and Political Development and a Certificate in Central Asian studies from Harriman Institute.