Sahle-Work Zewde

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Sahle-Work Zewde, a native of Ethiopia, currently serves as the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON). She was appointed to this position by the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on 11 March 2011 and is the first person to hold the post at the level of Under-Secretary-General.

By judgment dated 31 July 2012, the United Nations Dispute Tribunal criticized Zewde, because "she continued to lead UNON management to wallow in its disobedience and impunity".

Prior to her appointment with UNON, Zewde served as Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in the Central African Republic (BINUCA). Previously, she also held a number of other high level positions including as Permanent Representative of Ethiopia to the African Union and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and as Director-General for African Affairs in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia.

Besides her extensive experience at the regional and international level, Zewde is also a veteran in the Ethiopian foreign service who has served in a number of posts. From 2002 to 2006, she was Ambassador to France, Permanent Representative to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and accredited to Tunisia and Morocco. From 1993 to 2002, she was Ambassador to Djibouti and Permanent Representative to the Intergovernmental Authority for Development (IGAD). From 1989 to 1993, Zewde served as Ambassador to Senegal, with accreditation to Mali, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Gambia and Guinea.

Zewde studied natural science at the University of Montpellier, France. She is fluent in Amharic, French and English.

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