Biographical Note

Secretary-General Appoints Monique Barbut of France Executive Secretary,

 

United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification

 

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, following consultation with the Bureau of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), announced today the appointment of Monique Barbut of France as Executive Secretary of the UNCCD.  She will replace Luc Gnacadja.  The Secretary-General expressed his gratitude for Mr. Gnacadja’s outstanding contribution and commitment in spearheading the Organization’s work.

Ms. Barbut brings to the position extensive expertise in a range of sustainable development issues coupled with international diplomatic and political experience.  She played a key role in the French government delegation to the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, in financing negotiations, and later as a negotiator in the creation of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), subsequently becoming the first Chief Executive Officer of the French Global Environment Facility.

Since 2012, Ms. Barbut has been the Special Adviser to the Chief Executive Officer of the Agence Française pour le Développement (AFD).  She previously held the position of Chief Executive Officer and Chairperson of GEF from 2006 to 2012.  Before that, she served as Director of the Division of Technology, Industry and Economics at the United Nations Environment Programme from 2003 to 2006.  From 1996 to 2003, Ms. Barbut held various positions in the AFD related to the French aid system, particularly sustainable project financing activities in the French overseas territories, and activities relating to ex-post evaluation.

Ms. Barbut holds a Master of Philosophy in Economics and a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Paris.

Born in 1956 in Morocco, she is married and has three children.

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