United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced today the appointment of Ms. Bintou Keita of Guinea as his Special Representative in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Head of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO). 

Ms. Keita succeeds Ms. Leila Zerrougui of Algeria, who will complete her assignment next month. The Secretary-General is deeply grateful to Ms. Zerrougui for her important contribution and service to MONUSCO. 

Ms. Keita brings to the position more than 30 years of experience in peace, security, development, humanitarian and human rights, working in conflict and post-conflict environments. Since January 2019 she has been serving as the Assistant Secretary-General for Africa, in the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations and had served as the Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations from November 2017 to December 2018. 

Between 2015 to 2017, Ms. Keita served the United Nations as Deputy Joint Special Representative for the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID). She had previously led United Nations efforts to fight the Ebola Virus Disease as the Ebola Crisis Manager for Sierra Leone between February and November 2015. From 2007 to 2010, she also served as Deputy Executive Representative of the Secretary-General for the United Nations Integrated Office in Burundi. 

Ms. Keita joined the United Nations in 1989, additionally serving in several senior management and leadership functions with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Chad, the Republic of Congo, Madagascar, Cape Verde, Rwanda, Burundi and at Headquarters. 

Ms. Keita holdsa master’s degree in social economy from the University of Paris II, France, and a post-graduate degree in business administration and management from the University of Paris IX, France.