United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, has announced the appointment of Mr. Mohamed M. Malick Fall of Senegal as the new United Nations Resident Coordinator in Nigeria, effective February 1st, following approval from the host Government. Additionally, Mr. Fall will undertake the role of Humanitarian Coordinator within the country.
Bringing over two decades of experience in development, humanitarian affairs, and peacebuilding, Mr. Fall’s career has been marked by significant leadership roles within the United Nations system. Most notably, he served as the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa, overseeing 21 UNICEF Country Offices. In this capacity, he provided strategic direction on various fronts, including the formulation and execution of Country Programme Documents, engagement with regional bodies such as the African Union, and spearheading UN reform initiatives.
Mr. Fall’s expertise extends to crisis management, having led responses to numerous complex emergencies characterized by substantial humanitarian needs and heightened security risks. He has also played pivotal roles in conducting strategic reviews of country documents and advancing research and knowledge management activities, ensuring their integration into programmatic and policy frameworks.
Prior to his current appointment, Mr. Fall held prominent positions within UNICEF, serving as the organization’s representative in several countries, including Nigeria, the Central African Republic, and Mongolia. He also served as Senior Education Adviser in Haiti and held key educational leadership roles in Indonesia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Educationally, Mr. Mohamed M. Malick Fall holds a master’s degree in Demography from Université de Paris I Panthéon Sorbonne, France, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in History (Licence d’Histoire) from Université de Dakar, Senegal.
The appointment of Mr. Fall underscores the UN’s commitment to promoting sustainable development, fostering humanitarian assistance, and facilitating peacebuilding efforts within Nigeria, a country grappling with multifaceted challenges requiring adept leadership and coordinated international cooperation.
