Announcement

Secretary-General appoints Amakobe Sande of Kenya United Nations Resident Coordinator in Eritrea

22 June 2021
A woman with a light blue dress and her hair up in a bun smiles at the camera.
Caption: Newly appointed Resident Coordinator in Eritrea, Amakobe Sande
Photo: © UN

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 at the United Nations and externally. Within the Organization, she held leadership positions with the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), including, most recently, as Country Director and Representative to 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.  

Prior to 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 also was the Director for the Southern Africa Partnership programme of ActionAid International. 

Ms. Sande holds a bachelor’s degree with honours in international relations and a master’s degree in development studies.