NEW WFD BOARD MEMBER FROM SUDAN
The WFD Board is glad to announce the election of Mr Berima Saeed Meki Aboras from Sudan to the WFD Board as of 1 January 2017. The election took place via email on 23 September – 14 October 2016.

The WFD Board issued a first call to complete the WFD Board by a member from Africa on 21 December 2015. The independent Election Committee didn’t approve any of the three nominations received because they didn’t fulfil the criteria. A second call was issued on 13 April 2016 resulting in one eligible nomination. Consequently, a call for votes was sent to all eligible members, with voter turnout reaching 29,4%. Mr Berima Saeed Meki Aboras received clear support for his nomination (90,9%).

HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICER
There are also some other changes in the WFD Board and Staff, namely, Mr Kasper Bergmann from Denmark, has returned from his leave of absence and is again on the WFD Board as of 1 November 2016.

The WFD warmly welcomes back Ms Eeva Tupi as Human Rights Officer and expresses deep thanks and appreciation to Ms Elena Down and Mr Kasper Bergmann who replaced Ms Tupi during her maternity leave.

NEW EEMARS DIRECTOR
Finally, the WFD Board wishes to extend its gratitude to Dr Valery Rukhledev from Russia, for his long and successful leadership of the WFD Regional Secretariat in Eastern Europe and Middle Asia (EEMARS). Dr Rukhledev will start his term as a CRPD Committee member in January 2017. At the same time, the WFD looks forward to establishing an active relationship with the newly elected EEMARS Director, Mr Ruslan Lopatyuk.