Hannah Tetteh joins Obasanjo as Special Envoys for Horn of Africa region

Former Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration Ms. Hanna Serwaa Tetteh of Ghana has been appointed Special Envoy of the Secretary-General of the United Nations for the Horn of Africa

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres made the announcement on Tuesdy, February 22, 2022.

In 2019, Ms Tetteh became the Special Representative of the Secretary-General to the African Union and Head of the United Nations Office to the African Union after working as Director-General of the United Nations Office in Nairobi, Kenya.

She takes over from Gabonese diplomat Parfait Onanga and becomes the second West African to be appointed to the status of Special Envoy for the region.

The first is former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo who is currently serving as Special Envoy of the African Union in the region. He has in recent times been seized with trying to mediate between the Ethiopia government and rebels in the northern Tigray Region.

Tetteh suited for the role:

An experienced lawyer and politician, Ms Tetteh would bring to her role many years of working in diplomatic circles and knowledge of the political landscape of Africa.

She has served as a Member of Parliament, Minister of State as well as in a role that required her expertise in peacebuilding and conflict resolution across the continent.

Mandate of the Special Envoy

The establishment of the Office of the Special Envoy the Horn of Africa in 2018 was largely driven by the dynamic changes in the region, triggered by the rapprochement between Ethiopia and Eritrea and the strengthening of relations between Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia, as well as the cooling off of tensions between Eritrea and Djibouti.

In October 2018, the Secretary-General expanded the remit of the Special Envoy for the Sudan and South Sudan to cover the Horn of Africa region, defined for this purpose to comprise the members of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).

This mandate derives from an exchange of letters between the Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council (S/2018/955 and S/2018/979).

Where is the Horn of Africa located?

According to Wikipedia, the Horn of Africa (HoA), also known as the Somali Peninsula, is a large peninsula of East Africa.

The Horn of Africa consists of the internationally recognized countries of Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Somalia, as well as the de facto country of Somaliland.

Located on the easternmost part of the African mainland, it is the fourth largest peninsula in the world.

It lies along the southern boundary of the Red Sea and extends hundreds of kilometres into the Guardafui Channel, Gulf of Aden, and Indian Ocean.