Biographical Note

Secretary-General Appoints Adama Dieng of Senegal

 

Special Adviser on Prevention of Genocide

 

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced today the appointment of Adama Dieng of Senegal as Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide.  Mr. Dieng will replace Francis Deng, to whom the Secretary-General is grateful for his dedicated service and achievements within a challenging mandate.

Mr. Dieng is currently serving his third term as Registrar of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, appointed in 2001.

As a legal and human rights expert, Mr. Dieng has a distinguished career in contributing to the strengthening of rule of law, fighting impunity and promoting capacity-building in the area of judicial and democratic institutions, including through fact-finding missions, publications and media.  He has furthermore contributed to the establishment of several non-governmental organizations in Africa.

Mr. Dieng began his career as Registrar of the Regional and Labour Courts in Senegal, and served as Registrar of the Supreme Court of Senegal for six years.  He joined the International Commission of Jurists in 1982, serving the organization in different capacities, including as Legal Officer for Africa and Executive Secretary till 1990.  He served a further 10 years as its Secretary-General, a period during which he was appointed as the United Nations Independent Expert for Haiti (1995-2000).

Mr. Dieng also acted in 1993 as Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General to Malawi and was the driving force behind the establishment of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights as well as the draft of the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption.

He has lectured on international law and human rights at institutes and universities around the world, and acted as consultant for many organizations, including the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Ford Foundation and the African Union.  Mr. Dieng is a former member of the Board of Directors of International IDEA, Africa Leadership Forum and Honorary Chair of The World Justice Project.

Born on 22 May 1950, Mr. Dieng graduated in Law from the Dakar University and holds a Certificate from the Research Centre of The Hague Academy of International Law.  He has also a Certificate on Homeland Security, Internal and External Security from the Paris Institute of International High Studies.

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For information media • not an official record