Secretary-General Appoints Hanna Serwaa Tetteh of Ghana Special Representative, United Nations Office to African Union

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres today announced the appointment of Hanna Serwaa Tetteh of Ghana as his Special Representative to the African Union and Head of the United Nations Office to the African Union (UNOAU).  She succeeds Sahle-Work Zewde of Ethiopia to whom the Secretary-General reiterates his deep gratitude and appreciation for her dedicated service to the Organization.

Ms. Tetteh brings to this position decades of progressively responsible experience at the national, regional and international levels, including well-honed skills in building consensus among stakeholders and knowledge of the Organization, in order to strengthen the partnership between the United Nations and the African Union in the area of peace and security.

Currently the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Nairobi, Ms. Tetteh served previously in the Government of Ghana as Minister for Foreign Affairs, member of the National Security Council and the Armed Forces Council (2013-2017), as well as Minister for Trade and Industry (2009-2013).  From 2014 to 2015 she was the Chairperson of the Council of Ministers as well as Chairperson of the Mediation and Security Council of the Economic Community of West African States.  During her term as Trade and Industry Minister, Ms. Tetteh was also a member of the Government’s economic management team, the board of the Millennium Development Authority and the National Development Planning Commission, in addition to chairing the Ghana Free Zones Board.  From January to February 2009, she was the Spokesperson for the team running the transition to the administration of President John Evans Atta Mills.

A National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament for the Awutu Senya Constituency (2000-2005), Ms. Tetteh later returned as NDC Member for the Awutu Senya West Constituency (2013-2017).  She was subsequently appointed Co‑Facilitator in the High-Level Forum for the Revitalisation of the Agreement for the resolution of the conflict in South Sudan (2017-2018).

Ms. Tetteh holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree from the University of Ghana, Legon and was called to the Ghana Bar in October 1992.

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* This supersedes Press Release SG/A/1819-BIO/5109 of 13 July 2018.