Mustafa Abubakr is a Master of Public Policy candidate at Duke University’s Sanford School of Public Policy. Before coming to Duke, he worked in Washington, D.C., at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), supporting humanitarian assistance initiatives within the Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance. He also worked at Meridian International Center, where he helped implement public diplomacy programs for the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP).

Mustafa is passionate about pursuing a public service career at the intersection of U.S. foreign policy and global development. He previously conducted research with the Wilson Center’s Africa Program, where his work on colorism and anti-Blackness in Sudan was published on the Africa Up Close platform. He hopes to contribute to multilateral institutions such as the World Bank or United Nations, focusing on equitable policies for displaced populations and post-conflict societies—particularly in Sudan, where his family is from.

Mustafa holds a bachelor’s degree in Sociology and International Studies from The Ohio State University, where he was a Morrill Scholar, Senator in Undergraduate Student Government, and President of the North and South Sudanese Association. Born in Illinois and raised across Boston, New Jersey, and Saudi Arabia, Mustafa’s global background fuels his passion for inclusive policymaking. Outside of policy, he’s an avid fan of Arsenal and FC Barcelona, and his favorite shows include One Piece and The Wire.