Secretary-General Appoints Maria do Valle Ribeiro of Ireland Deputy Special Representative for Libya

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced today the appointment of Maria do Valle Ribeiro of Ireland as his new Deputy Special Representative and Deputy Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), where she will also serve as United Nations Resident Coordinator, Humanitarian Coordinator and Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Ms. do Valle Ribeiro succeeds Ali H. Al-Za’tari of Jordan, to whom the Secretary-General is grateful for his dedicated service during his tenure in Libya, and for his contribution to the coordination of the United Nations system in that country.

Ms. do Valle Ribeiro brings with her 30 years of development and humanitarian experience in progressively senior leadership positions with the United Nations and international non-governmental organizations in Africa, Asia and the Caribbean.  Most recently, she served as Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Guinea-Bissau (2014-2016) and as United Nations Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Angola (2010-2014) as well as Mauritania (2008-2010).

She held various senior positions with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), including Regional Chief of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation in the Regional Office for West and Central Africa (2006-2008); Representative for Guyana, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago (2004-2006); and Deputy Representative in Algeria (2002-2004).

Before joining the United Nations, she worked for Save the Children (1992-1999) and for Concern Worldwide (1984-1990).

Born in Portugal in 1957, Ms. do Valle Ribeiro holds a Master of Science degree in economic development, policy and planning from the University of Wales, in the United Kingdom.

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*     This supersedes Press Release SG/A/1494-AFR/2949-BIO/4614 of 13 August 2014.