United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced today the appointment of Major General Jean-Paul Deconinck of Belgium as the Force Commander of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA).
 
Major General Deconinck succeeds Major General Michael Lollesgaard of Denmark, who completed his tour of duty on 31 December 2016. The Secretary-General is grateful for his dedicated and exemplary service during his tenure with MINUSMA.
 
Major General Deconinck brings to this position 38 years of national and international military experience with the Belgian Army. Before his appointment, he served as Commander Land Forces of the Belgian Armed Forces since September 2014. He also served in various leadership positions as Deputy Assistant Chief of Staff (Support), Commander of the Belgian Defence College and commander of the 7th Brigade (Marche-en-Famenne) of the Belgian Army. He also held the position of Force Commander, European Union Battle Group (2008-2009).
 
Major General Deconinck has a master’s degree in military and social sciences from the Belgian Royal Military academy. He is a graduate of the French War College (Ecole de Guerre, Paris), and Defence College, Brussels, Belgium.
 
Born in 1959, Major General Deconinck is married with three children.