Following consultations with the Executive Board of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres introduced right this moment the appointment of Diene Keita of Guinea because the Fund’s new Executive Director. She succeeds Natalia Kanem of Panama to whom the Secretary-General is deeply grateful for her devoted service and excellent dedication to the Organization.
Currently serving as Acting Executive Director of UNFPA, Ms. Keita has served as Deputy Executive Director (Programme) of UNFPA since 2020, bringing over three many years of management in worldwide growth and public service.
Her profession consists of service as Minister for Cooperation and African Integration of Guinea, alongside intensive expertise throughout the United Nations. She has held senior management positions inside UNFPA, together with as Representative in Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. She has acted as United Nations Resident Coordinator in Mauritania, Benin and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Ms. Keita started her United Nations profession in 1990 with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Throughout her profession, Ms. Keita has labored extensively on the empowerment of ladies and youth, inclusive development, demographic points and sustainable human growth. She has targeted on addressing sexual and reproductive well being, in addition to on ending gender-based violence in humanitarian settings.
Ms. Keita holds a doctorate in legislation and superior levels in worldwide economics and growth legislation and worldwide relations from the University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, France. She is fluent in English, French, Italian, Malinké, Bambara, Sousou and with notion of Fulani.
__________
* This supersedes Press Release SG/A/1965 of 24 June 2020.