New Permanent Representative of Guinea-Bissau Presents Credentials

(Based on information provided by the Protocol and Liaison Service)

The new Permanent Representative of Guinea-Bissau to the United Nations, Samba Sane presented his credentials to UN Secretary-General António Guterres today.

Mr. Sane brings to his position 31 years diplomatic and international affairs experience, including 23 years as a United Nations staff member.  Prior to his appointment, he was Deputy Director for the Central and Southern Africa Division, Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs-Department of Peace Operations, beginning in 2019.

From 2016 to 2018, he was Deputy Director for Africa 1 Division (Southern Africa, Indian Ocean, Horn and Eastern Africa and the Great Lakes regions).  He also served as Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs responsible for Africa from 2009 to 2016.

He was acting Chief and Deputy Chief of the Civil Affairs Branch in the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus from 2005 to 2009.  From 2004 to 2005, he was the Desk Officer for Cyprus, in the Department of Peace Operations in New York.

From 1999 to 2004, he served in the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) as a Civil Affairs Officer and then as Acting UN Municipal Representative.

Before joining the United Nations, Mr. Sane held various positions with his country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 1991 to 1999, including Chef de Cabinet of the Minister of Foreign Affairs; First Secretary in the Permanent Mission of Guinea-Bissau to the United Nations; and Head of Africa Division of the Africa, Asia and Oceania Division in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  He also was Chef de Cabinet of the Junior Minister of Public Health from 1990 to 1991.

Mr. Sane holds Bachelor of Arts in international relations from the Instituto Superior de Ciencias Sociais e Politicas da Universidade de Lisboa in Portugal.