Martin Kimani named UN Assistant Secretary-General for Africa

NAIROBI, Kenya Sept 15 – Kenyan diplomat Martin Kimani has been appointed Assistant Secretary-General for Africa at the United Nations.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres announced Kimani’s appointment to the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations.

Kimani succeeds Ghana’s Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee.

The new role places the veteran diplomat at the heart of UN efforts to prevent conflicts, support peace processes and promote lasting peace across Africa and other regions affected by instability.

Kimani is particularly familiar with the UN system, having served as Kenya’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York between 2020 and 2024.

He also chaired the Council’s Ad Hoc Working Group on Conflict Prevention and Resolution in Africa and co-chaired the Informal Expert Group on Climate and Security in 2022.

In 2023, Kimani served as President of the Executive Board of the UN Development Programme, UN Population Fund and UN Office for Project Services.

His previous government roles include Director of Kenya’s National Counter Terrorism Centre and the President’s Special Envoy for Countering Violent Extremism from 2015 to 2020