UN Secretary-General António Guterres officially appointed Ozonnia Ojielo as the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Ethiopia, effective March 14, 2026.
In addition to his role as Resident Coordinator, he will also serve as the Humanitarian Coordinator for the country. This is a significant move given the current humanitarian landscape in the region.
Mr. Ojielo is a highly seasoned diplomat with over 25 years of experience in sustainable development, peacebuilding, and governance. Here are a few highlights of his career leading up to this appointment:
Most recently served as the UN Resident Coordinator in Rwanda (appointed in 2022).
He has held Resident Coordinator positions in Kyrgyzstan and senior roles with the UNDP in New York, Kenya, Ghana, and Nigeria.
Before joining the UN, he worked as an attorney, journalist, and university lecturer. He is also the founder and first president of the Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators, the largest body of its kind in Africa.
Mr. Ojielo holds a PhD in Peace and Conflict Studies from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria.
This appointment brings his expertise back to Addis Ababa, where he previously served as a Cluster Director for UNDP’s Regional Service Centre for Africa.
