Dr. Joseph Bernard Comerford (18 December 1958 - 18 August 2000) was a British engineer and one of the UN's leading irrigation experts. He played a critical role in shaping the international humanitarian response to the Great Lakes Crisis at one of its most turbulent moments. He was responsible for providing clean water and sanitation to over a million people. On 18 August 2000, Joe Comerford was found dead in his hotel room while on a mission where he had been sent to the Congo ahead of 5,000 UN peacekeeping troops to assess structural damage caused by an occupying force of soldiers backed by neighbouring Rwanda. His report could have led to sanctions against Rwanda.