Secretary-General Appoints Workneh Gebeyehu Negewo of Ethiopia Director-General, United Nations Office at Nairobi

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres today announced the appointment of Workneh Gebeyehu Negewo of Ethiopia as Director-General of the United Nations Office at Nairobi.  He succeeds Hanna S. Tetteh of Ghana who was appointed as Special Representative to the African Union and Head of the United Nations Office to the African Union.

Currently Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia (since 2016) and Member of the Addis Ababa City Council (since 2012), Mr. Workneh Gebeyehu previously served as Minister for Transport of Ethiopia (2013-2016) and Member of Ethiopian House of People’s Representative Parliament (2005-2012).

He served in different positions at regional and federal levels of the Government of Ethiopia, notably, Commissioner General of the Ethiopian Police (2001-2012), Head of the Administration Affairs Bureau and Cabinet member of Oromiya Regional State (1999-2000).  He also served in different positions under the Security, Immigration and Refugee Authority (1992-1998).

Mr. Workneh Gebeyehu holds a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in political science and international relations from Addis Ababa University, and a Doctor of Philosophy in police science from the Criminal Justice and Police Science Department of the University of South Africa.

The Secretary-General wishes to extend his appreciation and gratitude to Maimunah Mohd Sharif, Executive Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), who will continue to serve as Acting Director-General until Mr. Workneh Gebeyehu assumes his position.