UN Chief Appoints Ethiopian Foreign Minister Workneh Gebeyehu as UNON Director General

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres today announced the appointment of Workneh Gebeyehu Negewo (PhD), Foreign Minister of Ethiopia, as Director-General of the United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON). He succeeds Hanna S. Tetteh of Ghana who was appointed as Special Representative to the African Union and Head of the United Nations Office to the African Union (UNOAU).

Currently, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia (since 2016) and Member of the Addis Abeba City Council (since 2012), Workneh Gebeyehu previously served as Minister of Transport of Ethiopia (2013-2016) and Member of Ethiopian House of People’s Representative Parliament (2005-2012).

He served in different positions at regional and federal levels of the government of Ethiopia, notably, Commissioner General of the Ethiopian Police (2001-2012), Head of Administration Affairs Bureau and Cabinet member of Oromia Regional State (1999-2000). He also served in different positions (officer to department head) under the Security, Immigration and Refugee Authority (1992-1998).

Workneh Gebeyehu holds a Bachelor of Arts (BA) and Master of Arts (MA) in Political Science and International Relations, Addis Abeba University, and PHD in police science from Criminal Justice and Police Science Department of the University of South Africa (March 2016).

The Secretary-General wishes to extend his appreciation and gratitude to Ms. Maimunah Mohd Sharif, Executive Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Program (UN-Habitat), who will continue to serve as Acting Director-General until Workneh Gebeyehu assumes his position.

The United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON) is one of four major United Nations office sites where numerous different UN agencies have a joint presence. Established in 1996, it is the UN’s headquarters in Africa.

In November 2004, the United Nations Security Council held a rare session at Nairobi to discuss the takeover of southern and western Sudan. The meeting was convened at the urging of then-Ambassador John Danforth of the United States.