Biographical Note

SECRETARY-GENERAL APPOINTS JOSEPH MUTABOBA ( RWANDA)

 

AS HIS REPRESENTATIVE IN GUINEA-BISSAU

 

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has appointed Joseph Mutaboba of Rwanda as his Representative in Guinea‑Bissau and Head of the United Nations Peacebuilding Support Office in that country (UNOGBIS), replacing Shola Omoregie who retired on 31 December 2008 after more than 30 years of continuous service with the United Nations.

Having has had a long career in diplomacy and foreign affairs, and currently serving as the Rwandan President’s Special Envoy to the Great Lakes Region, he has managed reforms in Government ministries and services in Rwanda to improve efficiency.  He has also played an active role in the country’s security‑sector reform process, and served as Permanent Representative to the United Nations from 1999 to 2001.

Mr. Mutaboba previously served as Secretary‑General in the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Internal Affairs, Deputy National Coordinator for Rwanda and Head of the Peace and Security thematic group in the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, and as a senior diplomat in Addis Ababa and Washington,  D.C.

He has a Master of Philosophy degree in librarian and information science from North London University.  He speaks English and French, and has a working knowledge of Spanish, Portuguese and Italian.

Born on 21 December 1949, he is married and has three children.

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