Case Western Reserve University graduate Mohamed Ibn Chambas, joint chief mediator overseeing the Darfur peace negotiations for the African Union and United Nations, has been named the speaker of this year’s commencement.

Chambas graduated from the law school at CWRU in 1984. He served as an international mediator who helped resolve the Liberian Civil War as well as the Ivory Coast Civil War. In 2007, he was appointed the first president of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Chambas was also named secretary-general of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP), where he aided the ACP’s economic recovery and helped them agree to join the European Union in 2020.

Chambas has also served as a successful academic. He was Ghana’s minister of education from 1997-2000. During his tenure, Chambas oversaw policies and accreditation of five universities and 10 polytechnic institutes.

With his years of accomplishments, Chambas will offer lessons taken from some of the world’s most difficult issues and speak in front of about 5,400 people at the Veale Convocation Center, including 2,000 graduating students.

President Barbara Snyder said that she is proud to welcome Chambas back to the campus for graduation and that his work represents the university’s mission for increasing knowledge and deepening understanding in the world.