Melissa is passionate about working with local governments on land rights issues and enhancing the local business environment in an inclusive and environmentally sustainable manner. She currently works on supporting entrepreneurship in different countries in the MENA region, with a focus on youth and women. Melissa completed her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Political Sciences (International Relations) at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel and is fluent in English, French and Dutch. Before joining The Hague Academy, Melissa worked in Burundi, where she supported local governments in the province of Makamba in setting up the local cadastral map while protecting women’s land rights and mediating land conflicts. She also assisted in the development of local green growth plans in Liberia through customary land formalisation and participatory land-use planning, therewith improving the enabling environment for private investments in the region while securing forest protection and sustainable agricultural production.