Annan appoints Ethiopian as top aide

By Desalegn Asfaw

April 25, 2006

NEW YORK - United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today named his former envoy to Ethiopia and Eritrea as the new Special Adviser on Africa while appointing a top aide to the Deputy Secretary-General as a senior official in the Department for General Assembly and Conference Management.

Legwaila Joseph Legwaila, before serving as Special Representative for the UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE), was Botswana’s Ambassador to the UN.

The 69-year old diplomat worked previously for the Botswana presidency. Between 1989 and 1990, he was the UN’s Deputy Special Representative in Namibia.

Among many other postings, he worked as Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) for South Africa, and Special Envoy of the Chairman of the Frontline States to Lesotho. He also served as his country’s High Commissioner to Guyana in 1981, High Commissioner to Jamaica in 1982 and Ambassador to Cuba in 1983.

Yohannes Mengesha of Ethiopia, the new Assistant Secretary-General for General Assembly and Conference Management, is leaving his current post as Director in the Office of the Deputy Secretary-General.

Mr. Mengesha, who joined the UN in 1976 as a project officer for the World Food Programme’s (WFP) Eastern Caribbean Office, has served the Organization in various capacities including Regional Manager for the WFP Eastern and Southern Africa Bureau; Senior Adviser in the Department of Humanitarian Affairs; and Director of the Iraq Programme in the same department.