United Nations Office Nairobi has a new boss

By James Ratemo

Sahle-Work Zewde of Ethiopia is the new Director-General of the United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON).

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon picked on Ms. Zewde, who will be the first person to be appointed to the newly created position as head of the Organization’s Nairobi Office, at the Under-Secretary-General level.

According to a dispatch from United Nation’s press desk, Ms. Zewde brings to this position more than two decades of progressively responsible experience at the national, regional and international levels.

She is expected to bring to bear well-honed skills in building consensus among stakeholders, her knowledge of the Organization in order to coordinate the activities of United Nations Office in Nairobi and, finally, her vast knowledge of the region to build upon partnerships.

She is currently Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Integrated Peace building Office in the Central African Republic (BINUCA).

Sahle-Work Zewde of Ethiopia (pictured) is the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON). Picture: Courtesy/ UNON

Prior to that, she was Permanent Representative of Ethiopia to the African Union and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).

She has also served as Director-General for African Affairs in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, posts that she held since 2006.

Prior to that appointment, Ms. Zewde was Ambassador to France, Permanent Representative to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and accredited to Tunisia and Morocco (2002-2006).

From 1993 to 2002, she served as Ambassador to Djibouti and Permanent Representative to the Intergovernmental Authority for Development (IGAD), and to Senegal, with accreditation to Mali, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Gambia and Guinea (1989-1993).

Ms. Zewde is a natural sciences graduate of the University of Montpellier, France. She is fluent in Amharic, French and English.

Born on 21 February 1950, she has two sons.