Our Team in Kenya

Dr. Garry Conille is a globally respected development leader and former Prime Minister of Haiti with over 30 years of experience in governance, multilateral negotiations, and strategic leadership within the United Nations system and national governments. He is widely recognized for his ability to navigate politically sensitive environments, facilitate high-level dialogue, and build trust-based partnerships between governments and international institutions.

As Prime Minister of Haiti, Dr. Conille led a transitional government during one of the most fragile periods in the country’s history, successfully restoring institutional stability, launching critical reforms, and managing complex national and international expectations. His leadership was marked by consensus-building, integrity, and a commitment to inclusive governance.
Previously, he served as Chief of Staff to former U.S. President William J. Clinton in his role as UN Special Envoy for Haiti, where he played a central role in designing and managing the Interim Haiti Recovery Commission—an innovative multi-stakeholder platform that coordinated reconstruction efforts in the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake. Under Dr. Conille’s coordination, the Commission mobilized significant international resources, introduced real-time aid tracking, and institutionalized accountability between government and development partners.

Dr. Conille also served as UN Resident Coordinator in several diverse country contexts—Jamaica, Bahamas, Bermuda, and Burundi—where he led UN system-wide negotiations, developed country-level cooperation frameworks, and aligned operational strategies with national development goals. He has extensive experience working with governments on infrastructure, co-location of agencies, cost-sharing agreements, and long-term institutional partnerships.

As Senior Policy Advisor to President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, then co-chair of the UN Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel on the Post-2015 Development Agenda, Dr. Conille worked at the forefront of global development diplomacy. He played a pivotal role in integrating African priorities into what would become the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), engaging Heads of State across the continent and shaping policy recommendations that advanced inclusive development and South–South cooperation. His contributions ensured the voice of developing countries was meaningfully reflected in one of the most important multilateral frameworks of the decade.

At the global level, Dr. Conille has held senior leadership positions with UNICEF, UNDP, UNOPS, UNFPA, and IFRC, overseeing large-scale portfolios in Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean. His work has included sustainable infrastructure development, humanitarian coordination, and program delivery in fragile and conflict-affected settings.

Fluent in French, English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole, Dr. Conille is known for his discretion, neutrality, and diplomatic tact. He holds a Doctor of Medicine from the State University of Haiti and a Master’s in Health Policy and Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Throughout his career, Dr. Conille has consistently fostered strong, respectful relationships with national authorities and played a key role in shaping agreements that balance institutional objectives with national interests. His expertise spans infrastructure, UN reform, humanitarian coordination, and sustainable development—always grounded in respect for national leadership and sovereignty.

Sandra Macharia is the Director of the United Nations Information Service in Nairobi, covering Kenya, the Seychelles and Uganda. She assumed her new duties on 10 July.

Ms. Macharia has over 20 years of experience in strategic and crisis communications, as well as policy and programme development. She is currently serving as Chief of the Africa Section and Editor-in-Chief of Africa Renewal in the United Nations Department of Global Communications. In addition, she previously held several positions with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) including Deputy Communications Director ad interim, Regional Communications Adviser for Africa, Special Assistant to Assistant Secretaries-General, and Communications Officer, serving in different locations including New York, Addis Ababa and Nairobi.

Prior to the United Nations, she worked as a producer, reporter and news anchor for news outlets including Reuters, BBC World Service, Nation TV/Nation Media Group and Kenya Television Network.

Ms. Macharia holds a master’s degree in media, peace and conflict studies from the Universidad para la Paz, as well as a bachelor’s degree in journalism, film and broadcasting, and a postgraduate diploma in broadcasting from Cardiff University

Shaheen Nilofer is the UNICEF Representative to Kenya. She has over 30 years of experience in the development sector at senior leadership positions. This includes building large social sector development and humanitarian programmes for non-profit organizations, bi-laterals and Governments in the backdrop of under-development and post-conflict environments.

Prior to joining UNICEF Kenya, Ms Nilofer served as UNICEF Representative to Eritrea (2019-22), UNICEF Representative to Turkmenistan (2016-19) and UNICEF Representative to Bhutan (2012-16). She also served as UNICEF Chief of Field Office in Chhattisgarh (Central India) for over five years.

Prior to joining UNICEF India, Ms Nilofer served in Oxfam GB, India and later in South Asia from 1993-2008 in various capacities including South Asia Regional Programme Quality Coordinator. She served as Oxfam’s Regional Representative, in East and South India region and later as India Country Humanitarian Programme Manager. She was responsible for programme strategy development and implementation, leveraging and resource management and management of human resources besides humanitarian response planning and management.

Ms Nilofer is an Indian national. She holds a Doctorate in Gender Studies and a Master’s degree in Sociology. She is fluent in English, Hindi and Urdu and is able to read and speak basic Arabic.

A native of Congo Brazzaville, Ms. Antonia N’Gabala-Sodonon boast over 20 years' professional experience at the international level within the United Nations and outside.

She began her career as a civil liberties lawyer before joining the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) at its headquarters in New York, USA. There, she held a senior position in the Africa Bureau Regional Programme Unit, overseeing the governance and peace-building portfolios, her role being to coordinate capacity-building efforts of African regional organizations such as ECOWAS, ECCAS, SADC, the AU, etc. in conflict prevention and management.

Head of the Humanitarian, Social and Development Issues Unit at the joint UN/AU Secretariat for the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (IC/GLR) based in Nairobi, Kenya, she subsequently served as Advisor at UNIFEM's regional office for Central Africa where she oversaw the implementation of the Regional Programme for Central Africa.

At the African Union, as Head of the Post-Conflict Recovery and Development Division of the Peace & Security Department (PCRD), based in Addis Ababa, she coordinated the development of the African Solidarity Initiative (ASI) for post-conflict countries whilst also coordinating the AU's Continental Gender, Peace & Security Programme, which she designed.

Prior to her appointment as UN WOMEN Representative in Kenya, Ms. N’Gabala-Sodonon was head of UNDP field office in Central Kasai (DRC), then UN WOMEN Representative in Côte d’Ivoire.

Ms N’Gabala-Sodonon holds a Master degree in Comparative law from the University of Paris II and the City of London Polytechnic. She is married with children.

Ms. Betty Ka is the Country Director for the World Food Programme (WFP) in Kenya, a role she assumed in August 2025. She provides strategic leadership to one of WFP’s largest and most complex operations in the region, overseeing life-saving food and nutrition assistance, resilience-building programmes and transformative partnerships in close collaboration with the Government of Kenya and other key stakeholders.

Prior to this role, Ms. Ka served as Director of WFP’s Supply Chain and Delivery Division, where she led a headquarters team of more than 400 staff and a global network of over 4,000 colleagues. She championed a shift toward more sustainable, resilient supply chain systems, reinforcing WFP’s position as the world leader in humanitarian logistics and emergency response.

In May 2024, she was appointed by the Executive Director as Regional Emergency Coordinator for the Sudan crisis. Based in Nairobi, she led coordination across Central, North and East Africa, expanding cross-border humanitarian supply chains that reached millions in need.

Ms. Ka began her WFP career as a logistics officer in Honduras and has served in diverse supply chain roles across Central America and Asia, covering a wide spectrum of Supply Chain and logistics. She also spent a decade in WFP’s Headquarters Resource Management Department, where she coordinated the Global Commodity Management Facility (GCMF) and later served as Acting Director of the Budget Division.

She holds a Master of Advanced Studies (Diplôme d’études supérieures spécialisées) in International Trade with a specialization in Logistics and Transport; a master’s in foreign Languages Applied to Law and Business; and a bachelor’s degree in the same field. Ms. Ka is fluent in English, French, Spanish, Italian and Wolof.

Jean-Luc Stalon is a seasoned development practitioner with over 30 years of service to the United Nations, driving transformational change across Africa, Asia, and the Pacific.

He currently serves as the Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Kenya, where he leads strategic partnerships focusing on accelerating the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, strengthening governance systems, youth engagement, environment & climate change.

Throughout his career, Mr. Stalon has held senior leadership roles within UNDP, including Resident Representative in Cameroon and the Central African Republic, Country Director in Senegal, Senior Deputy Country Director in South Sudan and Mali, as well as Acting Director of the UNDP Global Centre for Public Service Excellence in Singapore. In these capacities, he has consistently championed innovation, governance reforms, and large-scale development programmes, often in fragile and complex contexts.

His expertise spans crisis management, peacebuilding, economic transformation, large-scale development acceleration programmes, and governance reforms. Mr. Stalon is widely recognized for his ability to build multilateral partnerships and enhance government co-financing to deliver impactful programmes that foster inclusive growth, democratic governance, and sustainable peace.

An accomplished writer and thought leader, he has published extensively on issues such as inequality, inclusive growth, democratic governance, remittances, climate change, and peace diplomacy. His notable works include:

Book: The Elitist Growth: Proposition of a New Index on Inequality (original French title: La Croissance Élitiste), Éditions du Cygne, Paris, 2022.
Articles: Harness the Potential of the Continent’s Demographic Dividend (Mail & Guardian, 2025).
Translating Peace into Shared Prosperity in the Great Lakes Region (Mail & Guardian, 2025).
He also contributes actively to contemporary debates on Africa’s development. In his widely cited article, “Return of coups: Why Africa needs a new social contract”, he highlights governance challenges, rising inequalities, and the urgent need to rebuild fractured social contracts.

Mr. Stalon holds a PhD in Political Science from the University of Yaoundé II, Cameroon, and a Diploma in Advanced Studies in Social Sciences from Sorbonne Nouvelle University, Paris.

Ms. Tally Einav has more than 15 years of experience in development and international organizations. She is passionate about the promise of inclusive and sustainable industrial development to countries well-being and the achievement of the global Agenda 2030. Starting in UNIDO in 2009, she worked in both technical cooperation and management of the organization. Among her other roles over the years, she led on UNIDO’s inquiry of its normative role as well on the coordination of the African Agribusiness and Agro-industries Development Initiative (3ADI) in UNIDO. She worked at the Executive Office of the Deputy to the Director General for many years and before moving to Kenya she worked in the External Relations leading on dialogues with Member States. She also served as the focal point for UNIDO’s work with civil societies.
She holds a Master’s Degree in Organizational Development and certification in Sustainable Development. She also holds degrees in Political Science and Communications.

Rainer has served as Director of UNOPS Kenya Multi Country office (KMCO) since 2014 and was previously Adviser for Risk Reduction and Recovery in UNOPS Head Quarters in Copenhagen. He first worked with the UN in Sri Lanka, going on to other agencies in conflict, disaster and emergency operations in Afghanistan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Philippines, Haiti, Maldives, Ethiopia, Somalia and South Sudan. He is a Magister Juris/LLM from the Universities of Salzburg and Vienna and a Master’s in Development Studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies of the University of London.

Mr. Ali EL-Bereir is the Regional Representative for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Regional Office for Eastern Africa (UNODC ROEA), based in Nairobi, Kenya, having joined on 15 November 2025. He oversees UNODC programmes across 13 countries in Eastern Africa: Kenya, Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Mauritius, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, Tanzania and Uganda.

Mr. EL-Bereir brings over 25 years of professional experience in international development, governance and rule of law, including two decades with the United Nations. His career reflects senior leadership in complex field environments, with a strong focus on supporting national capacities to prevent and combat organized crime, corruption and terrorism.

He previously served as Senior Programme Coordinator and Head of the UNODC Programme Office in Iraq, covering drug control, crime prevention, anti-corruption and terrorism prevention. He has also served as Deputy Regional Representative for the Middle East and North Africa and earlier as Head of Programme Office for Libya.

Before joining UNODC, Mr. EL-Bereir held positions with the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Geneva and the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS). Earlier in his career, he worked in the private sector with the judiciary and with civil society in Sudan.

He holds a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from Ain Shams University and a Postgraduate Diploma in International Law and Human Rights from the University of Khartoum. He is fluent in English and Arabic.

Before joining UNISDR Regional Office for Africa, Mr. Abbashar headed the organization’s Regional Office for Arab States in Cairo, Egypt. Mr Abbashar began his United Nations career as a Programme Officer with the UNDP Emergency Unit in Sudan dealing with Operation Lifeline Sudan in the early 1990’s. Later he became Field Coordinator in the Department of Humanitarian Affairs during the Liberian war after which he was assigned as Deputy Head of OCHA in Sierra Leone. He joined OCHA’s headquarters in New York in 2000 as a Humanitarian Affairs Officer focusing on inter-governmental matters related to the Security Council, the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council.

Ms Beryl Khanyile is a senior urban development specialist with over 24 years of experience across urban governance, financing, infrastructure and the built environment, spanning the United Nations, government and the private sector.

She currently leads UN-Habitat’s Kenya Country Programme, overseeing programme delivery, partnerships and coordination to support national urban development priorities. She serves as Chief Technical Advisor for the Partnership for Implementing the New Urban Agenda, a joint initiative with the European Union and the Government of Kenya, focused on addressing housing market gaps, strengthening financing systems and advancing inclusive and sustainable urban development.

She also provides strategic oversight of programme and operational delivery, ensuring alignment with national policies and global standards, while engaging governments, private sector actors, academia and civil society.

Previously, Ms Khanyile held senior leadership roles in government, including as Deputy City Manager in Durban, where she managed large-scale urban programmes with annual portfolios exceeding USD 240 million. Her work has focused on spatial transformation, municipal strengthening, urban financing reforms, disaster risk response, land reform and catalytic public–private partnerships.

Her sector experience spans housing and human settlements, urban planning, mobility, infrastructure asset management and inner-city regeneration. She has also contributed to global processes, serving as Chair of the SDG Localisation Committee in Durban and supporting the development of a Voluntary Local Review.

Ms Khanyile has developed financing models for incremental housing, sustainable livelihoods and rental housing markets, and has served at both provincial government and national treasury level.

She holds a Bachelor of Technology in Civil Engineering, an MBA in Leadership and is a certified Project Management Professional. She is also a Gestalt Practitioner under the GALP Africa Leadership Programme.

She has been affiliated with the Brookings Institution Centre for Sustainable Development, representing South African metropolitan cities on SDG leadership, and currently serves on the board of Isandla Institute, which focuses on urban research, informality and just urban transition.

Mr. Carlos Geha joined the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Nairobi in February 2026 as Head of the Regional Office for Southern and Eastern Africa. Prior to this assignment, he served as Head of the OCHA Office in Pakistan.
Mr. Geha has over 20 years of experience in humanitarian coordination across a wide range of complex emergencies. He has led field operations for more than a decade with international humanitarian organizations, including ICRC, WFP and OCHA, working in diverse contexts such as Bangladesh, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Libya, Nepal, Pakistan, Senegal, Sri Lanka, Syria, Tunisia and Yemen. This experience has provided him with extensive expertise in humanitarian coordination and organizational management in emergency settings.
Between 2013 and 2016, Mr. Geha led the coordination and implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2165, supporting cross-border humanitarian operations from Jordan into southern Syria. He subsequently served as Head of the OCHA Office in Amman, Jordan (2021–2023), where he also acted as Head of Office for ROMENA (2022–2023), before assuming the role of Head of Office in Pakistan, where he led and coordinated flood response operations.
Mr. Geha holds a Doctoral degree in Computer Networks and Statistical Simulation Analysis from the University of Sussex in Brighton. He is a Lebanese national and is fluent in French, English, Arabic and Spanish.

Caroline Mugalla is ILO Director overseeing the East African Region; Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi and Uganda. She commenced the role 1 January 2024.

Ms. Mugalla began her career as a junior officer at the Central Organisation of Trade Unions in Kenya in 2005 serving under different responsibilities that included, gender and training, social dialogue and good governance, and productivity until 2009.

She joined the East Africa Trade Union Confederation (EATUC) as a lobby, advocacy and Public Relations Officer a position she held until 2013 when she was appointed the first ever female to head a sub-regional trade union organisation in Africa, with a membership of over 5.4 million.

In her position as the Executive Director of EATUC she was tasked with overseeing all aspects of union coordination, organisation, and leadership for underrepresented workers while maintaining compliance with established regulations and ensuring adherence to best practices and guidelines in the EAC region.

She has had extensive experience in social dialogue in the East Africa Community, political policy advocacy, spearheading vision and resource mobilization, strategy, and execution of trade unions and labour organisations policy advocacy work representing the voice of workers at high level forums nationally and internationally.

She was a distinguished Executive Director, Board member and labour relations specialist. She has served in many leadership roles for which she has been recognized locally and internationally.

A finalist of the 2015 CFC Bank Rising Star Awards, Service: Public and Private, she featured in the Netherlands in the FNV Magazine 2020 as a top Woman Trade Unionist Leader worldwide and in Kenya as women movers and shakers in the trade union movement.

She is currently a member of the World Economic Forum Joint Trade and Labour Steering Group and an Evaluator of the Prince Talal International Prize by the Arab Gulf Programme for Development. Ms. Mugalla has previously served as Member of the Commonwealth Foundation Civil Society Advisory Committee.

Ms. Mugalla holds a Masters in Business Administration with a focus on Human Resource Management from Kenya Methodist University and a Bachelor of Science Biology Major and Chemistry Minor from the University of Eastern Africa Baraton.

Charles has been the Country Representative and Head of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Kenya since January 2025. He previously served as Deputy Representative and Head of OHCHR’s Ethiopia Programme in Addis Ababa.

With more than two and half decades of experience in human rights and governance in Africa, Charles has been driven by conviction that dignity, equality, and justice must be lived realities for everyone. His career has taken him to many countries including Sierra Leone, Somalia, Ethiopia, Uganda and Kenya, where he has led complex accountability and protection initiatives in conflict and post-conflict environments. He has overseen sensitive human rights assessments—including in Northern Uganda, Somalia, and the Tigray crisis—which helped inform Ethiopia’s peace and transitional justice processes.

Charles has spent his years in the UN advancing human rights as the cornerstone of inclusive development, peace, and justice. As Team Lead for the Human Rights Due Diligence and Accountability with the UN Mission in Somalia, he drove efforts that shaped the early design of the AU’s continental Compliance Framework, advancing systems that safeguard rights and reinforce accountability in peace operations. He has led major initiatives to strengthen monitoring and investigative capacities within NHRIs in Africa, while deepening the integration of human rights into UN programming, including through UNDAF/UNSDCF processes.

Before joining the UN, Charles served for eight years in key technical and leadership positions with the Uganda Human Rights Commission. He holds postgraduate and graduate qualifications in international human rights law, sociology with law, and education and training.

Capt. Muli joined the IMO from Maritime Administration in Kenya where his last appointment was the head of maritime safety. He previously served the disciplined forces where he served in different capacities, including as command of the Kenya Navy Ships. Capt. Muli holds a Master’s Degree in Maritime Transport from the World Maritime University, Malmo, Sweden and he is a holder of Master Mariner Certificate of Competency.

Dr. Rose Mwebaza brings over 25 years’ experience to the Position of Director and Regional Representative for Africa in UNEP.
Prior to taking on her current position, she served as the Director and Advisory Board Secretary of the United Nations Climate Technology Centre & Network (CTCN), the implementation arm of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Technology Mechanism.
Rose was a lecturer at Makerere University between 1997 and 2008 where she also served as the Head of Department for Commercial Law, and Deputy Dean of the Law School. She then served as the Regional Policy Adviser for Eastern and Southern Africa on Climate Change in the Environment and Energy Group, at the United Nations Development Programme Bureau for Development Policy. She later served as Programme Manager for UNDP’s regional office for Africa in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia where she was also designated as Advisor to the Chairperson of the African Union and Advisor to the Committee of Heads of State and Government on Climate Change. Rose then joined the banking sector and served as Chief Natural Resources Officer at the African Development Bank in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.
Rose holds a Ph.D. in Environment and Natural Resource Governance from Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia; a master’s degree in international Comparative Law (With a Certificate of Academic Excellence) from the University of Florida, U.S.A, and a Bachelor of Laws Degree (LL. B, Hons.) from Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda. She is a Carl Duisburg Research fellow at the World Conservation Union (IUCN), a member of the UN Master Minds, a Member of the Association of Environmental Law Lecturers in Africa, and a founding member of the Network for African Women Environmentalists.

Ms Farayi Constance Zimudzi has been appointed as FAO Representative in Kenya, effective 11 January 2026.

Ms. Zimudzi, a Zimbabwean national, holds a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences and a Master of Science in Aquaculture. She began her career in 1988 as a Principal Fisheries Officer in the Ministry of Agriculture in Harare, Zimbabwe, where she then joined the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) as the Assistant FAO Representative in the Zimbabwe Country Office in 2000.

In 2005, she became the Emergency and Rehabilitation Coordinator at the FAO Representation in Lesotho, while also serving as the interim FAO Representative from September 2009 to May 2010. From 2011 to 2012, Ms. Farayi worked at FAO headquarters in Rome as a Programme Advisor within the Emergency and Rehabilitation Division, focusing on the Global Food Security Cluster. She then served as the Emergency and Rehabilitation Coordinator in the FAO Representation in Zambia from 2012 to 2013.

In April 2013, she transitioned to the Regional Office for Africa (RAF) in Accra, Ghana, as a Programme and Operations Officer. From December 2017 to August 2022, she held the position of FAO Representative in Namibia up until October 2022, where she became the FAO Representative in Ethiopia.

Following the departure of the former FAO Subregional Coordinator, Ms. Farayi was also appointed as FAO Subregional Coordinator for Eastern Africa and Representative to the AU and UNECA, ad interim, in September 2023.

Given her extensive experience, she leads FAO’s work in the strategic areas of agri-food systems transformation; food security and nutrition, economics and trade, policy, livestock health and development, value chain development, disaster risk and natural resource management, and emergency and resilience programming.

Ms. Fatima Mohammed-Cole is the UNHCR Representative to Kenya, a role she assumed in April 2026. She is a seasoned humanitarian with over 25 years of experience with UNHCR, spanning field operations, regional leadership, and headquarters assignments.

Before her current role, Ms. Mohammed-Cole served as Deputy Director and Head of Protection and Solutions Services at the Regional Bureau for Eastern and Southern Africa (RBESA) in Nairobi, where she provided strategic direction, oversight, and coordination of Protection and Solutions Services across 25 country operations. She has been instrumental in steering complex cross‑border initiatives, navigating politically sensitive protection environments, and strengthening regional coherence across both emergency and protracted displacement contexts.

She has served as Representative a.i. and Deputy Representative in Sudan, as well as Representative in Liberia and Malawi, leading operations during periods of large‑scale conflict, regional spillover, and acute humanitarian needs. In these roles, she spearheaded high‑level engagement with governments, donors, UN agencies, NGOs, and development actors, while overseeing large and diverse operational portfolios.

Ms. Mohammed‑Cole has led responses in acute emergencies and protracted situations in Tanzania, Somalia, Kenya, Mozambique, Sri Lanka, Sierra Leone, Uganda, and Ethiopia, consistently combining protection leadership with pragmatic, solutions-oriented approaches in complex and politically sensitive contexts.

She also served as a Senior Protection Emergency Coordinator, leading policy development and capacity building across Europe, the Middle East, and East Africa, and as a Senior Investigation Officer at UNHCR Headquarters in Geneva, reinforcing accountability and institutional integrity.

Ms. Mohammed-Cole holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from the University of Maiduguri and is a Barrister at Law.

Louise Haxthausen (Denmark) was appointed Director of the UNESCO Regional Office for Eastern Africa in Nairobi in September 2024. She previously served as UNESCO’s Representative to the European Union and Director of the Liaison Office in Brussels.

Ms. Haxthausen has worked on conflict and crisis response at country-level in Afghanistan and in Palestine, and as Director of the UNESCO Office for Iraq.

At UNESCO Headquarters, she has served in key roles including Focal Point for the Middle East in the Office of the Director-General, Senior Coordinator for Crisis Response in the Arab World within the Bureau of Field Coordination, and Senior Coordinator for Crisis and Transition Response in the Director-General’s Office.

Ms. Haxthausen joined UNESCO in 1993, starting her career as an Associate Expert in the Human Rights Division at the Organization’s Headquarters in Paris.

She has an academic background in political science and international public law.

Ms. Lucy Ndungu (Kenya), Regional Manager for UN Volunteers (UNV) Regional Office for East and Southern Africa, joined UNV from the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office where she served as the Peace and Development Adviser, UN Uganda. In that role, Ms. Ndungu provided the UN Resident Coordinator, Country Team and Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and UNDP NY with strategic analytical and advisory support on politics, peace and sustainable development in Uganda and the region; implementation of the UN Reforms and in localization of the Sustainable Development Goals in Uganda; and with the Government of Uganda to develop a standing infrastructure for peace.

Prior to serving with the UN, Ms. Ndungu worked in civil society in Kenya as the National Coordinator for Partnership for Peace and Security, a national civil society network in Kenya providing intellectual and strategic leadership to the organization. The organization is one of the founding members of Uwiano Platform for Peace which became a global reference point for infrastructures for peace. She also co-founded an NGO on women empowerment.
Ms. Ndungu has extensive experience in the Eastern, Horn and Southern Africa and the Great Lakes Region, and has consulted widely for UNDP HQ working with the African Union and its Regional Economic Commissions to support the development of enabling policy and regulatory frameworks in their Member States for the development of infrastructures for peace. She supported the Office of the Special Envoy of the Secretary General to the Great Lakes to develop the first Action Plan for the implementation of the Peace Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of Congo and the region. Assented by the Heads of State of the region, the Plan informs their engagement on peace and development of the Great Lakes region

Ms. Ndungu holds a bachelor's degree in management from Maseno University, a Master’s Degree in International Studies from the University of Nairobi, and executive certificate in leadership and management from the Northwestern University, Chicago, USA. She is a Fellow of Institute for Justice and Reconciliation, Cape Town, South Africa; Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI), Norway, and was a visiting speaker in 2015 at the Eastern Mennonite University Summer Peacebuilding School, Harrisonburg, Virginia, USA. Ms. Ndungu holds various post-graduate certifications in governance, peacebuilding, management, and leadership.

Mariatu Kamara is an International development professional with over 18 years of experience that spans United Nations, International Financial Institutions and Civil Society in conflict and post conflict Countries. She is a skilled negotiator and a driver of institutional reforms, organizational restructuring, with result in achieving efficiency gains and leading successful policy reforms. Mariatu has extensive experience in the execution of country strategies, programme/project development and management, partnerships building, resource mobilization, policy leadership and institutional management for rural and agricultural transformation. Prior to her joining International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), she served as Head of a Sub office with the World Food Programme (WFP) in Sierra Leone, coordinating relief, recovery and development activities from 2001 to 2005. She also served as a project Manager for the Recovery and Crisis Prevention unit with UNDP in Sudan from 2005 to 2011. In 2012, she served with a Non-Governmental Organization – CAFOD as the Programme Manager for Sierra Leone and Liberia.
Mariatu holds a Master’s Degree in Rural Development from Njala University, University of Sierra Leone.

Dr Neema Rusibamayila Kimambo is the WHO Representative a.i to Kenya since December 2025. A senior public health specialist and paediatrician, she brings over 25 years of experience in public health leadership, health systems strengthening, and policy implementation.

Dr Kimambo holds a Doctor of Medicine and Master of Medicine in Paediatrics and Child Health from the University of Dar es Salaam, and a Master of Public Health from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

She served as WHO Representative to Malawi (2022–2025) and as Medical Officer for Child and Adolescent Health at the WHO Regional Office for Africa (2018–2022), where she provided technical leadership on quality of care, nutrition, and maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health across Member States. While at the Regional Office, she served as Acting WHO Representative to Ghana (2019–2021).

Prior to joining WHO, Dr Kimambo held senior positions in Tanzania's Ministry of Health, including Director of Preventive Services, leading national preventive and promotive health programmes. She also served as Senior Adviser to the former President of the United Republic of Tanzania on reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health, and was his liaison to the United Nations Commission on Information and Accountability for Women’s and Children’s Health.

Dr Kimambo is committed to strengthening health systems and advancing universal health coverage across the African region.

Ms. Nomagugu Hanyana Ncube assumed her role as the Chief of Mission, IOM Kenya Office in Nairobi on 5 January 2026.

Ms. Ncube is a public health and migration governance expert with over 25 years of
experience. Her leadership as Chief of Mission at IOM Malawi and in Zambia, where she
contributed to regional health and protection programming, is testament to her skills. Her
background includes migration health, gender-based violence prevention, disaster risk
reduction, and cross-border cooperation across Southern Africa.

Before joining IOM, she held senior roles in Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Health, leading
disease control and public health initiatives.

Ms. Ncube holds a master’s degree in public health from University of Zimbabwe.

Dr. Richard Amenyah is the newly appointed UNAIDS Multi-Country Office Director and Representative for Kenya, with oversight of Rwanda and South Sudan, based in Nairobi. A medical doctor from Ghana with over 25 years of distinguished experience in global health and international development, Dr. Amenyah provides strategic leadership to accelerate HIV prevention, treatment, and care across the region. He is a passionate advocate for civil society engagement, gender equality, human rights, and the meaningful involvement of people living with HIV. In his current role, Dr. Amenyah leverages his expertise in resource mobilization and health systems strengthening to forge strategic partnerships with governments, multilateral donors, and community stakeholders — driving progress toward the global goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.

Previously, Dr. Amenyah served as UNAIDS Multi-Country Director for the Caribbean, where he championed efforts for the decriminalization of HIV, secured funding from the Global Fund and PEPFAR, and strengthened HIV services across Belize, Guyana, Jamaica, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States. His leadership contributed to major public health milestones, including the validation and certification of the Elimination of Mother-to-Child Transmission (EMTCT) of HIV in Belize, Jamaica, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Earlier in his career, he held senior roles with UNAIDS in West and Central Africa — including Fast Track Advisor and Global Fund & PEPFAR Implementation Advisor in Nigeria, and Investment & Efficiency Adviser at the UNAIDS Regional Support Team in Senegal. He also served as Technical Director at the Ghana AIDS Commission. Over his career, Dr. Amenyah has mobilized more than USD 2 billion for HIV programs, supported the establishment of an HIV Trust Fund for the elimination of vertical transmission in Nigeria, and contributed to the development of the Global AIDS Strategy 2021–2026 and the Caribbean Regional Strategic Framework for HIV response. He has collaborated closely with WHO, PAHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, UN Women, and UNDP on HIV programming.

Dr. Amenyah holds a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (MBChB) from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana, and a Master of Public Health (MPH) from the University of Ghana, with a focus on epidemiology, sexual and reproductive health, biostatistics, and project management. He has completed executive leadership training with the UN System Staff College, including Leading for Transformational Change, Leadership in Times of Uncertainty, and Executive Management and Leadership. He is fluent in English and speaks Ewe as well as other Ghanaian languages.

Sylvia Kabaki is the Head of Office ad interim for the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) Programme Office in Nairobi, providing strategic direction and leadership for UNOCT’s engagement across East, Horn and Southern Africa.

Prior to joining UNOCT, Sylvia held positions with UN Women, the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA), and the African Union Commission (AUC) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Her work has focused on countering violent extremism, civilian protection, Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR), landmine action, and the protection of women and children affected by armed conflict. She brings extensive experience operating at both policy and field levels in conflict-affected settings.

Sylvia holds a Master of Public Administration (MPA) from Harvard University, a Master of Science (MSc) in International Development from the University of Birmingham, and a Bachelor of Administration (BAdmin) in Public Administration from the University of Pretoria.