Kenya's Amakobe Sande appointed as UN Resident Coordinator in Eritrea

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has appointed Kenya’s Amakobe Sande the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Eritrea after the host government approved.

Ms Sande’s rich career spanning 25 years, has seen her work for renowned international organisations progressively rising to senior management positions.

She started off at the grassroots, managing integrated community development programs in Kenya before being appointed Deputy Country Representative and Country Director for Oxfam (Great Britain) in post-genocide Rwanda and in Zambia, respectively.

She was later promoted, within the same organisation, to Regional Manager for Eastern Europe, the Middle East and the Commonwealth of Independent States (Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia) then reassigned back to the African region where she served as Regional Manager for Oxfam in Southern Africa.

Team Leader

The incoming UN Resident Coordinator in Eritrea once served as Director for the Southern Africa Partnership program of ActionAid International where she served concurrently as thematic Head for HIV and Aids for Africa.

She also worked as Senior Gender Equality Adviser and Team Leader for Country Support in the UNAids regional office for Eastern and Southern Africa, UNAids Country Coordinator in Lesotho, as well as Country Director in Malawi and Uganda.

She returned to country management work and was Country Director for Malawi and Uganda before being appointed Country Director and Representative to the People’s Republic of China, a position she held until her latest appointment.

Ms Sande holds a bachelor’s degree in International Relations and a master’s in Development Studies.

She has served on a number of international boards including the Global Campaign for Microbicides as well as the Africa Public Health Rights Alliance.

She also had a short stint as a broadcast journalist.