United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced today the appointment of Raisedon Zenenga of Zimbabwe as his new Deputy Special Representative in the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM).

Mr. Zenenga succeeds Anita Kiki Gbeho of Ghana, to whom the Secretary-General is grateful for her dedicated service in Somalia.

Currently serving as Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Libya, where he also served as Assistant Secretary-General and Mission Coordinator of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) since 2020, Mr. Zenenga brings extensive experience in supporting political processes and mediation, managing complex peace operations, and working with Government and other key stakeholders in conflict and post-conflict settings.  He has over 30 years of experience in the United Nations, including with United Nations missions in Liberia, Libya, Iraq-Kuwait, Sierra Leone, Somalia and South Sudan, as well as at the United Nations Headquarters.

He previously held the positions of Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Somalia and Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan.  He also served in other senior roles at the United Nations Headquarters supporting peacekeeping operations in Africa.  Mr. Zenenga began his professional career in his country’s Diplomatic Service.

Mr. Zenenga graduated from the University of Zimbabwe, where he studied public administration and political science.