UN appoints Ebola crisis managers

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday announced the appointments of Ebola Crisis Mangers for Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone.

The managers would work with the host governments in ensuring a rapid and effective international response to the crisis.

The UN Ebola Crisis Managers are; Marcel Rudasingwa of Rwanda for Guinea, Peter Jan Graaff of the Netherlands for Liberia; and Amadu Kamara of the United States for Sierra Leone.

A statement made available to Ghana News Agency in Accra said the appointments are part of the UN Mission for Ebola Emergency Response.

According to the statement Mr Rudasingwa brings great value of service with United Nations Children’s Fund for almost 20 years, having served extensively in various senior management and leadership functions in Kenya, Mali, Guinea and Denmark.

Mr Rudasingwa profile indicates that he was born in 1955 in Rwanda, graduated from the Makarere University of Kampala in 1979 with a bachelor’s degree in languages and communication and has undertaken additional studies in psychology and teaching.

Mr Graaff also brings to the position a wealth of experience in international health issues along with international affairs, having served extensively with the World Health Organisation in a number of countries in Africa, Afghanistan and Haiti.

He recently served along leading the Civil Affairs and Development team within the UN Mission in Afghanistan. Born in 1960 in Heerde, the Netherlands, Mr Graaff graduated from the University of Leiden in 1986 with a master’s degree in science focused on pharmacy, and from Herriot Watt University in 2003 with a master’s in business administration.

Mr Kamara has a diverse portfolio spanning the continent of Africa in international affairs, having served extensively with the United Nations in various senior management support functions and other roles in Liberia, Somalia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Timor Leste, Haiti, and Lebanon.

His profile also indicates that he was born in 1957 in Sierra Leone and graduated from the State University New York in 1981with a bachelor’s degree in arts and economics and has undertaken post graduate studies at the New School for Social Research.