UN Secretary-General Appoints Ozonnia Ojielo of Nigeria as New Resident Coordinator in Ethiopia

EBR_News Mar 17, 2026

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has appointed Ozonnia Ojielo of Nigeria as the new UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Ethiopia, with the host government’s approval effective March 14, 2026, according to an announcement from the United Nations.

Ojielo brings more than 25 years of experience in sustainable development, governance, peacebuilding, and conflict prevention to the role, having overseen UN programmes and projects across four continents. He most recently served as UN Resident Coordinator in Rwanda, where he provided strategic leadership to the UN Country Team and engaged closely with development partners and senior government leaders to advance national development priorities.

His previous assignments include serving as Resident Coordinator in Kyrgyzstan, following roles as Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative, and as UNFPA Representative to the Kyrgyz Republic. Notably, he held several senior leadership positions with UNDP, including Cluster Director for Governance and Peacebuilding at the Regional Service Centre for Africa in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and Director for Conflict Prevention and Recovery at UNDP Headquarters in New York. He also served with UNDP in Kenya and Ghana in various senior capacities.

Before joining the United Nations, Ojielo worked as an attorney, university lecturer, and journalist. He advised truth, justice, and reconciliation commissions as well as national human rights institutions in Ghana, Liberia, Malawi, Namibia, and Sierra Leone. He served as President of the Centre for Peace in Africa, a regional non-profit organization based in Nigeria, and is the founder and first president of The Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators, the largest mediation and conciliation organization in Africa.

Ojielo holds a PhD in Peace and Conflict Studies from the University of Ibadan in Nigeria, a master’s degree in strategic and project management from the Paris Graduate School of Management in France, and a master’s degree in history from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He also holds bachelor’s degrees in history and law from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and ASUTECH.