United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has appointed Kenya’s Monica Juma as the new head of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the United Nations Office at Vienna (UNOV).
She will succeed Ghada Fathi Waly as the Director-General of UNOV. In the interim period, John Brandolino, Director of the Division for Treaty Affairs at UNODC, will continue to serve in both roles until Ms Juma officially assumes her duties.
“The secretary-general also expresses his gratitude to John Brandolino, Director of the Division for Treaty Affairs at UNODC, for his continued service as acting executive director of UNODC and acting director-general of UNOV until Ms Juma takes office,” stated Mr Guterres in a statement.
Her appointment marks a significant milestone for Kenya in international diplomacy and global governance, highlighting the country’s growing influence in multilateral organisations.
Ms Juma is a seasoned senior leader with extensive expertise, experience, and knowledge in public policy-making, execution, and academia, particularly in the areas of security, diplomacy, and governance.
She previously served as Kenya’s Foreign Minister and National Security Adviser and will lead the UN agencies in addressing global drug trafficking, organised crime, and other international challenges. Her appointment comes at a critical time as the UN intensifies its efforts to combat transnational criminal networks and promote global security.
As a seasoned diplomat and policymaker, Ms Juma brings extensive experience in international relations and security matters to her new role. She has been an influential figure in African diplomacy, advocating for stronger regional cooperation in security and development.
Mr Guterres praised Dr Juma’s appointment, calling her “a proven leader with a commitment to multilateralism and tackling complex global issues.”
Dr Juma takes over from Yury Fedotov, who served as the head of UNODC and UNOV for over a decade.
She served as Cabinet Secretary in several strategic ministries in Kenya, including the Ministry of Energy (2021-2022), the Ministry of Defence (2020-2021), and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2018-2020). She was also Acting Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Petroleum and Mining in 2022. Earlier, she was Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2016-2018), the Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government (2014-2016), and the Ministry of Defence (2013-2014).
From 2010 to 2013, she was Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Kenya to Ethiopia and Djibouti and Permanent Representative of Kenya to the African Union, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa.
Dr Juma holds a PhD from the University of Oxford (1998-2000) and both a Master of Arts and a Bachelor of Arts in Government and Public Administration from the University of Nairobi (1991, 1987).
