Secretary-General Appoints George Wachira of Kenya United Nations Resident Coordinator in Eswatini

On 4 April, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres appointed George Wachira of Kenya as the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Eswatini, with the host Government’s approval.

Mr. Wachira has devoted more than 30 years of his career to issues related to conflict prevention, peacebuilding, international affairs, governance and sustainable development, occupying leadership positions at the United Nations and externally.  Within the Organization, he most recently served as the United Nations Peace and Development Adviser in Eritrea, having held a similar position in Guyana and Lesotho.  He has also led United Nations conflict prevention, strategic political analysis, peacebuilding, electoral support, political dialogue, human rights, national reforms and capacity-building programmes.

Before joining the United Nations, Mr. Wachira worked in the public and private sectors, including as executive director of the Nairobi Peace Initiative-Africa, a peacebuilding non-governmental organization where he contributed to strategic initiatives on peacebuilding practice in East, Central and West Africa.  In 2006, he received two international awards in recognition of his work, including supporting women in peacebuilding.

Mr. Wachira holds a master’s degree in international peace studies from the University of Notre Dame in the United States and a bachelor’s degree in government and anthropology from the University of Nairobi.