CAR : New MINUSCA Boss In Bangui

The new Special Representative of the UN Secretary General to the Central African Republic has arrived Bangui where she is expected to head the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission (MINUSCA). Valentine Rugwabiza who arrived on Sunday 17 April, 2022 replaces Senegalese Mankeur Ndiaye who headed the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission through three turbulent years. The 59-year-old seasoned diplomate takes over command at a time, when relations between the UN and the country’s authorities are not the best within and out of the country. 
Appointed on February 23, 2022 by the UN scribe Antonio Guterres, Valentine Rugwabiza has more than 30 years of experience in Africa development and security issues in both the public and corporate sectors. She has been a Cabinet member in her country, a senior diplomat accredited to several countries and organizations, and a senior leader in national, regional and multilateral entities. Since 2016, Ms. Rugwabiza has been her country’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations and non-resident Ambassador to Colombia and Jamaica.   From 2013 to 2014, she was Chief Executive Officer of the Rwanda Development Board. From 2005 until 2013, she served as the Deputy Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Geneva.  Before that, she was Rwanda’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office at Geneva and United N...