Biographical Note

Secretary-General Appoints Lieutenant General Carlos Alberto dos Santos Cruz

of Brazil Force Commander for UN Mission in Democratic Republic of Congo

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced today the appointment of Lieutenant General Carlos Alberto dos Santos Cruz of Brazil as Force Commander of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO).

He succeeds Lieutenant General Chander Prakash Wadhwa of India, who completed his assignment on 31 March 2013, and to whom the Secretary-General is grateful for his dedicated and effective service during his tenure of more than two years.

Lieutenant General dos Santos Cruz brings more than 40 years of national and international military experience, including command and staff experience.  Before his appointment, he served as Special Adviser to the Minister for the Secretariat of Strategic Affairs within the Presidency of Brazil.  Previously, he was the Deputy Commander for Land Operations of the Brazilian Army, from April 2011 to March 2013, and a Division Commander between 2009 and 2011.  He also served as Force Commander of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) from January 2007 to April 2009.

The holder of a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the Catholic University of Campinas, Brazil, Lieutenant General dos Santos Cruz is a graduate of the Military Academy of Agulhas Negras in Resende, Brazil.

Born in Brazil in 1952, he is married and has three children.

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For information media • not an official record