Bart Veenstra

Bart Veenstra serves as the Deputy Chief of Mission and Head of Development at the Netherlands Embassy in Yemen, leading Dutch development and humanitarian efforts in a complex conflict environment. Prior to this role, Bart held positions at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including Team Lead for Digitalisation for Development, where contributions were made to address the digital divide. Bart's experience extends to Free Press Unlimited as a Senior Programme Coordinator for MENA, focusing on media development and countering misinformation, and leading the Media Safety programme that supported journalists globally. Bart's earlier roles include advising on media development in Syria, conducting research on the Syrian conflict, and improving ICT for development projects. Educational qualifications include an MSc. in Cultural Anthropology from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and a diploma in Arabic Language and Literature from Damascus University.