United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, announced on 01 July 2023 the appointment of Joanne Adamson of the United Kingdom as his new Deputy Special Representative and Deputy Head for the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA).
Ms. Adamson succeeds Lizbeth Cullity of the United States, to whom the Secretary-General is grateful for her long and distinguished service with the United Nations, including her important contribution to the work of MINUSCA in support of the people of the Central African Republic. The Secretary-General is also grateful to Louis Aucoin of the United States, who provided steadfast support during this interim.
Ms. Adamson brings to the position over 30 years of experience in international peace and security and diplomacy, political analysis, multilateral negotiations and conflict resolution with the United Nations, the European Union and in the course of her diplomatic service with the United Kingdom. From 2018 to 2021, Ms. Adamson served as Deputy Special Representative for the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA). Prior to this, she was the Deputy Head of the European Union delegation to the United Nations from 2016 to 2018, and the United Kingdom Ambassador to Mali and Niger. She has also previously served with United Nations Peacekeeping, including at New York Headquarters and with the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), as well as with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
Ms. Adamson holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Harvard University, USA, and a Bachelor of Arts in French language and literature from the University of Cambridge, UK. She is fluent in Arabic, English and French.
