Abbas is an international development expert with over 17 years of experience in designing, developing, implementing, and managing development programs including: economic development, advocacy, livelihood, civil society strengthening, monitoring and evaluation, elections and civic engagement programs, including Sudan and Palestine. He is the current Executive Director (since 2014) of the Palestinian Farmers’ Union, providing technical guidance and full supervision on project development and implementation processes for the 12 branches of the Union across the West Bank and Gaza Strip. He is also in charge of developing proposal ideas on issues related to economic development as well as policy development programs aiming at developing policies and laws that are better responsive and reflective of farmers’ rights in Palestine. He is currently leading the capacity building programs at PFU aiming at building the advocacy, policy, development, program development, and farmers’ rights skills for the 14 PFU branches in the West Bank and Gaza.
Abbas previously worked with the Sudan Civil Society and Youth Participation (CSDY) Program as a Country Director for Sundan, the International Republican Institute (IRI) Sudan, Arab-Americare Foundation, Health, Development, Information, and Policy Institute (HDIP), Palestinian Center for Peace and Democracy (PCPD), and the Palestinian Child Cultural Center. Abbas has a Bachelor’s Degree in English Literature from Bethlehem University.