Mark Sedra, Background

A graduate of the University of Toronto and the London School of Economics, Mark’s interest in the field of peace and conflict studies developed when he accepted a Government of Canada-sponsored internship at the Bonn International Center for Conversion (BICC) in Germany. Hired as a full-time researcher at BICC following the completion of his internship, Mark carried out research projects in a number of fragile and conflict-affected areas, including Northern Ireland, Afghanistan and the Balkans. Prior to joining CIGI, Mark was a visiting research fellow at the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom and served as the 2004–2005 Cadieux-Léger Fellow in the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT).

As a CIGI senior fellow, Mark was the leader of the Global and Human Security Program, where he coordinated CIGI’s international security activities. Mark is the driving force behind CIGI’s Afghanistan and Security Sector Governance Projects, which produce field-based research and analysis on numerous ongoing war-to-peace transitions, including those in Afghanistan, Burundi, Haiti, Southern Sudan and Timor-Leste.  

In addition to his work at CIGI, Mark is a research scholar in the University of Waterloo’s department of political science and a faculty member at the Balsillie School of International Affairs. He is a member of the International Security Sector Advisory Team, an initiative developed at the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of the Armed Forces. Mark also serves as an executive board member to the Waterloo branch of the Canadian International Council and is a member of the editorial board for the Journal of Conflict Transformation and Security. He has co-authored two books, served as an editor for two others and produced numerous journal articles, book chapters, policy papers, technical reports and op-eds. He has become a leading media contributor on the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, providing regular analysis and commentary to major Canadian and international media outlets, including the BBC, CBC, al Jazeera, Newsweek, The Wall Street Journal and Reuters. Mark has also served as a consultant and adviser to numerous government agencies, intergovernmental bodies and non-governmental organizations, such as DFAIT, the Canadian Ministry of Public Safety, the British Department for International Development and the United Nations.

Mark lives in Waterloo, and enjoys travelling, reading and cinema.