Biographical Note

SECRETARY-GENERAL APPOINTS OMAR ABDI OF CANADA DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

OF UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN’S FUND

 

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today announced the appointment of Omar Abdi, born in Somalia and currently a Canadian citizen, as Deputy Executive Director of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

Before taking up his current post on 1 August 2006 as UNICEF Director of the Middle East and North Africa Region, Mr. Abdi had served as UNICEF Representative in Islamabad, Pakistan since August 2003.  In this capacity, he was responsible for the overall planning, coordination and implementation of a broad range of UNICEF programmes to improve the status of women and children in Pakistan.

Mr. Abdi joined UNICEF in April 1992 as Programme Officer in Liberia.  He was transferred to New York in the same capacity in April 1994.  He served as UNICEF Representative in Liberia from September 1996 and, subsequently, in Ghana from June 1998.  He was appointed Deputy Director of the Programme Division at United Nations Headquarters in June 2000.

Prior to joining UNICEF, Mr. Abdi held senior positions in the Government of Somalia.  He was Senior Planning Officer in the National Refugee Commission from 1982 to 1986 and Director of the Planning Department from 1987 to 1989.

Mr. Abdi holds a bachelor's degree in civil engineering (1982), a master's degree in regional planning (1988) and a doctorate in development economics (1991).

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