LIEUTENANT-GENERAL BABACAR GAYE APPOINTED NEW FORCE COMMANDER

 

OF UN ORGANIZATION MISSION IN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

The Secretary-General has decided to appoint Lieutenant-General Babacar Gaye (Senegal) as the new Force Commander of the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC).  Lieutenant-General Gaye has most recently served as Ambassador of Senegal to Germany since January 2004.  He replaces Major-General Iliya (Nigeria) and is the third Force Commander of MONUC.  Lieutenant-General Gaye is expected to deploy to MONUC shortly.

Prior to this position, he led an extensive and distinguished military career, having served, among others, as the Chief of Staff of the Senegalese armed forces from May 2000 to August 2003, and Chief of Military Region from November 1997 to May 2000.  He also served as the Commander of the Senegalese contingent in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) from August 1979 to March 1980.  From July 1974 to February 1975, he served in the United Nations Emergency Force (UNEF).  Lieutenant-General Gaye attended military courses at prestigious war colleges and military schools in France and Belgium.

This high-level appointment follows other recent senior appointments in MONUC, such as the new Deputy Special Representative for the Democratic Republic of the Congo/Resident Coordinator/Humanitarian Coordinator, RossMountain (New Zealand), and the Commander of the newly established Eastern Division, Major-General Patrick Cammaert (Netherlands).

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