Amir Jaouadi is EUAM Iraq's new Executive officer from Brussels. With previous working experience in the public administration of Europe’s capital, he finds himself now working in Baghdad at the heart of the Mission, in the Head of Mission’s Office.
Briefly describe your career and tell us why you applied for a position with EUAM Iraq?
I see my career as an evolution from the ground up, working at first in small organisations and NGO’s wherever I could find a place until I received a position as an editor for the national TV-news, followed by working as a manager in an IT-start-up in accounting software. For the last 7 years, I worked for the City Administration of Brussels where I worked in Economic Affairs, managing a complex administration, creating rules and regulations, organising workshops, working groups and developing projects with local trade associations.
Applying for EUAM Iraq is nothing more than the next step in my career. I have a background in criminology and international politics so making this switch was more a matter of having the necessary work experience and technical skills to be an added value in a specialised mission like EUAM Iraq.
Tell us about your daily work?
My position as Executive Officer is mainly about the management of information and internal workflows. I plan, together with a small team, the contacts of our Head of Mission with our Iraqi counterparts within the Government. Our office is also the contact point for EU Ambassadors and international partners here in Iraq. Next to that, I centralise the information flows between the different components in the Mission, so that nobody misses any pieces of crucial information and make sure that there is a digital trace of all the activities of the Mission.
How do you find working with colleagues from many different backgrounds?
Amazing I must say, I was already used to working in a multicultural environment. Don't forget in Brussels you can find 179 different nationalities working and living together. What makes the experience here even more submersive is that you are actually working as a guest in a host country. A large part of the team consists of Iraqi colleagues, and they are the ones that make the team function and allow us to integrate in this amazing culture. Another thing is also this, imagine sitting at a breakfast table with half the EU represented around the table discussing politics or fait divers like "what is the healthiest breakfast", That’s what I call hilarious and cultural enriching at the same time.
What has been the most rewarding or memorable experience for you so far in the Mission so far?
It’s learning from your colleagues, we come to Iraq in the role of advisers but, at the end of the day, there is no added value if you haven't gained knowledge yourself about the country, its functioning, diverse culture and tradition. I consider myself lucky to learn something new about Iraq every day.
If you could live anywhere, where would you choose?
Somewhere where the days are long and sunny, the forest is green and the sky is blue, a nice sandy beach and a pearl blue sea. Sounds almost like Belgium I must say, except for the pearl blue sea.
What is something your colleagues don't know about you?
I can't sing. I’m dreading the moment where they ask me to join the Christmas carols choir and I will be exposed while trying to hit those high notes.
What was the last gift you gave to someone?
Just before I left, my parents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. I gave them the softest blanket you can imagine and a huge black Outh scented candle. I hope the gifts will keep them warm and enlightened until my next leave when we will meet again.
What is your usual order at a restaurant?
Hmm that's not so easy. In restaurants I tend to choose the thing on the menu that I can't imagine how it tastes or looks. It takes a lot of bravery and I confess; mistakes have been made, but at least we've learned.
How do you relax?
I run for a long time with some nice melodic tunes in my ears till I can't no more, I eat a lot and read some magazines and then fall on my couch and put on an immersive engaging movie that takes you away into another world.