United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has appointed Amakobe Sande of Kenya as the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Eritrea, with the host Government’s approval.

Ms. Sande brings more than 25 years of experience in international cooperation, development coordination, strategic management, peacebuilding and humanitarian affairs to the position, which she acquired both at the United Nations and externally.

Within the Organization, she held leadership posts with the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), including, most recently, as Country Director and Representative in China.  She also served as Senior Gender Equality Adviser and Team Leader for Country Support in the UNAIDS Regional Office for Eastern and Southern Africa, as well as UNAIDS Country Coordinator in Lesotho and Country Director in Malawi and Uganda.

Before joining the United Nations, Ms. Sande held senior positions with international non-governmental organizations, including Oxfam, where she served as Regional Manager for Southern Africa, Regional Manager for Eastern Europe, the Middle East and the Commonwealth of Independent States (Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia), Deputy Country Representative in Rwanda, and Country Director in Zambia.  She was also the Director for the Southern Africa Partnership programme of ActionAid International.