United Nations- Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday announced the appointment of Mali’s Moustapha Soumaré as his Deputy Special Representative (Political) for the United Nations Mission in the Republic of South Sudan (UNMISS).
A statement issued in New York said Soumaré will succeed Raisedon Zenenga of Zimbabwe.
Zenenga will be taking up the post of Deputy Special Representative of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM).
In the statement, Ban said he was grateful for Zenenga’s dedicated service and outstanding contribution to the work of the United Nations in the Republic of South Sudan.
It added that Soumaré will bring to the position extensive peace, development and leadership experience.
He is currently the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the United Nations Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO).
Soumare also serves there as the United Nations Resident Co-ordinator, Humanitarian Co-ordinator and Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), a position he has held since October 2012.
Prior to this appointment, he also served as the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Recovery and Governance in the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) from 2009 to 2012.
Soumaré has served as Deputy Assistant Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Deputy Regional Director for the Regional Bureau for Africa in New York from 2007 to 2009.
He was United Nations Resident Co-ordinator and Resident Representative in Rwanda from 2005 to 2007, and held a similar position in Benin between 2000 and 2005.
Before joining the United Nations, Soumaré held senior positions in the Government of Mali.
Soumaré who is married with three children holds a doctorate degree in soil and water conservation from the University of Belgrade, Yugoslavia.(NAN)