The Ambrela Development Forum (ADF), organized annually by the Slovak Platform for Development Organizations – Ambrela, is a leading international conference that provides a unique space to address global challenges and reimagine international partnerships through high-level discussions and interactive workshops. As the only event of its kind in Central and Eastern Europe, the ADF International Conference brings together more than 200 participants from around 20 countries each year. The next edition, ADF 2026, will take place on 1–2 October 2026 in Bratislava, Slovakia.

To ensure that ADF remains at the forefront of global development discussions, the conference is supported by its International Advisory Board (IAB) – an honorary body of distinguished experts and thought leaders who provide strategic guidance, foresight, partnerships, and international visibility. The IAB plays a key role in shaping the conference agenda, speaker engagement, and donor outreach, helping position ADF among Europe’s leading global development and humanitarian policy forums. We are delighted to welcome Dr Michael Köhler as a member of the ADF 2026 International Advisory Board.

Dr Köhler serves as Ambassador and Co-Lead of the Grand Bargain in Geneva and is Chairman of the Brussels Regional Forum of the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP). Throughout his distinguished career, he has held numerous senior leadership positions within the European Commission, specializing in international relations, humanitarian action, and regional cooperation. Most notably, he served as Deputy Director-General and Acting Director-General of the Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO). Before joining the European Commission, Dr Köhler worked as the Representative of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Morocco and Tunisia and served in the Policy Planning Division of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). Alongside his policy and leadership roles, he is actively engaged in academia as a Professor at the College of Europe in Bruges and lectures at Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne and LUISS Guido Carli University in Rome. He is also affiliated with several leading foreign and development policy think tanks and research institutes.

Dr Köhler is no stranger to the ADF community. As a distinguished speaker at the first three editions of the conference in Bratislava, he contributed valuable perspectives on innovative humanitarian financing and the future of the European humanitarian system. His expertise and forward-looking vision inspired participants and enriched discussions on some of today’s most pressing global challenges. We are honoured that Dr Köhler will continue this engagement as a member of the International Advisory Board. His extensive experience, strategic insight, and international network will be invaluable in shaping ADF 2026 and strengthening its role as a platform for meaningful dialogue, innovative thinking, and impactful partnerships. We warmly welcome Dr Michael Köhler to the ADF 2026 International Advisory Board and look forward to working together towards an inspiring and successful #ADF2026 conference.