Ex-Haiti Prime Minister Appointed UN Resident Coordinator in Kenya

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has appointed former Haitian Prime Minister Garry Conille as the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Kenya.

In a communique on Wednesday, April 1, the United Nations Sustainable Development Group (UNSDG) said the appointment of Conille followed approval from the Kenyan government.

“United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has appointed Garry Conille of Haiti as the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Kenya, with the host Government’s approval. He takes up his post today, 1 April,” read the statement.

Conille has served as Prime Minister of Haiti on two occasions. He first served as the 15th Prime Minister from 2011 to 2012 before resigning.

He later returned as Acting Prime Minister from June 3 to November 11, 2024, under the Transitional Presidential Council.

Conille has over 20 years of experience in international development, humanitarian affairs and public administration, with a strong record of leadership across the United Nations system, international organisations, and national governance structures.

Before he was appointed the UN Resident Coordinator in Kenya, Conille served as Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean at the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

He was also the UN Resident Coordinator in Jamaica, following a similar leadership role in Burundi.

Prior to that, he was the United Nations Office for Project Services’ Regional Director for the Africa Region and headed the Millennium Development Goals Support Unit at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Conille began his UN career in Haiti with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in 1999.

The former Haitian Prime Minister holds a Doctor of Medicine degree from the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of the State University of Haiti and a Master of Public Health from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA.

This comes weeks after Guterres appointed Ambassador Monica Juma as the Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and Director-General of the United Nations Office at Vienna (UNOV).

The UNODC is the United Nations agency responsible for supporting member states in tackling issues such as illicit drugs, organised crime, corruption, and terrorism through research, policy guidance, and international cooperation.

Meanwhile, the United Nations Office at Vienna serves as one of the UN’s major headquarters, coordinating programmes and administrative functions for several UN bodies based in Vienna.

President Ruto welcomed Juma’s appointment, noting that it was a great feat for Juma, a diplomat and policy expert.

"I take this opportunity to congratulate Monica Juma on her appointment as the Executive Director of UNODC and Director General of UN Office in Vienna. Her stellar performance in the appointments bestowed upon her, with the most recent one being as my National Security Advisor and Secretary to the National Security Council, have been recognised beyond our borders," the president said.