Veteran diplomat Tor Wennesland joined the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) as Practitioner in Residence in January. PRIO routinely brings in seasoned experts in peacebuilding and conflict mediation to strengthen its research and practice.
Tor Wennesland’s latest role was as the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process and Representative of the UN Secretary General to the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Palestinian Authority. He held this role from January 2020 to January 2025.
A diplomat since 1984, Wennesland has been working within Middle East related diplomacy since 1994, also as adviser to the former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair from 2007 to 2008. He served as Norway’s Representative to the Palestinian Authority from 2007 to 2011, and as Norwegian Ambassador to Egypt and Libya from 2012 to 2015.
“I am very pleased to join PRIO’s competent and international team. I am hoping to organize and utilize my extensive archives from my years in the Middle East,” said Tor Wennesland. “I also think I can contribute with my international network of Middle East experts for events and workshops at PRIO”.
“Tor Wennesland brings an exceptional depth of experience in diplomacy and conflict resolution to PRIO,” said Director Henrik Urdal. “The meeting of expert practitioners and researchers provides fertile ground for new thinking, and the crisis in the Middle East makes Wennesland a timely addition to the PRIO community.”
