SECRETARY-GENERAL APPOINTS LEGWAILA JOSEPH LEGWAILA OF BOTSWANA AS SPECIAL ADVISER ON AFRICA

Biographical Note

SECRETARY-GENERAL APPOINTS LEGWAILA JOSEPH LEGWAILA

OF BOTSWANA AS SPECIAL ADVISER ON AFRICA

The Secretary-General announced today the appointment of Legwaila Joseph Legwaila of Botswana as Special Adviser on Africa effective 1 May 2006.

Mr. Legwaila has most recently served as the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE).  He previously served as the Permanent Representative of Botswana to the United Nations.

Born on 2 February 1937, Mr. Legwaila began his career as a primary school teacher in Botswana.  Between 1973 and 1980, he worked for the Botswana presidency, before coming to New York as Botswana’s Ambassador.  In New York, he served three times as Vice-President of the United Nations General Assembly -- in 1981, 1987 and 1991.  He represented his country on the Security Council, and served as Council President in February 1995 and March 1996.

He served as Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Namibia between 1989 and 1990.  Among many other postings, he worked as Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) for South Africa, and Special Envoy of the Chairman of the Frontline States to Lesotho.  He also served as his country’s High Commissioner to Guyana in 1981, High Commissioner to Jamaica in 1982, and Ambassador to Cuba in 1983.

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*     This supersedes Press Release SG/A/750-BIO/3330 dated 16 November 2000.

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