Ismail Sidqui

Ismail Sidqui is the Senior Policy & Training Associate at the UM6P-J-PAL Applied Lab for Agriculture (UJALA). In this role, he drives the design and delivery of capacity-building activities, translating complex research into actionable insights to strengthen evidence-informed policymaking. His work bridges the gap between academic research and the wider agriculture and development ecosystem.

Prior to joining J-PAL, Ismail served as the Africa & Middle East Regional Coordinator for the UN Environmental Programme Financial Initiative (UNEP FI). There, he supported sustainable finance programs, contributing to regional workshops and policy analysis on financial protection for MSMEs facing climate stressors.

Previously, Ismail worked with the African Chamber of Commerce in China (AFCHAM), coordinating trade and investment initiatives and producing market intelligence. He also recently engaged in a community-based regenerative farming initiative in the Netherlands (WIJdehorst).

Ismail holds an MSc in Political Science from Leiden University and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and International Trade from Donghua University. He is a native speaker of French and Arabic, fluent in English, and has working proficiency in Chinese.