Biographical Note

Secretary-General Appoints Margaret Vogt of Nigeria as Special Representative

to Central African Republic and Head of UN Integrated Peacebuilding Office

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today announced the appointment of Margaret Vogt of Nigeria as his Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in the Central African Republic (BINUCA).  Ms. Vogt will replace Sahle-Work Zewde of Ethiopia.

The Secretary-General is grateful for Ms. Zewde’s tireless efforts to help promote peace and security and development in the Central African Republic.  He is particularly grateful for her leadership in establishing the integrated peacebuilding mission in the country as part of the Secretary-General’s efforts of ensuring that the United Nations Delivers as One.

Ms. Vogt brings to this position 34 years of national, diplomatic and academic experience, with a focus on Africa.  She is currently serving as Deputy Director of the Africa I Division in the Department of Political Affairs at the United Nations Secretariat.  Prior to that, she was assigned to the United Nations Political Office for Somalia as Acting Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General.

Her extensive knowledge of the various regional organizations in Africa will be valuable for this position.  For about two years, she served in the African Union as Director of the Office of the African Union Commission Chairperson.  Prior to joining the United Nations, she conceptualized and facilitated the adoption of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and Organisation of African Unity (OAU) mechanisms for peace and conflict management.  As one of the principal advisers to the United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs, she helped expand the relationship between the United Nations and the African Union.

Prior to this, she was the Director of the Africa Programme at the International Peace Academy and an Associate Research Professor at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs.  Ms. Vogt also served in United Nations peacekeeping operations in Somalia (UNOSOM II).  She further served as the Director of Studies at the Command and Staff College, Jaji, Nigeria, and lectured at the Nigerian War College and the Institute for Strategic Studies, Kuru, Nigeria.

Ms. Vogt has written and published several books and articles in academic journals.  She holds a master’s degree in international affairs from Columbia University.  She is proficient in English and French.

Born in 1950, she is married, with six children.

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