Biography of the Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation

10 Oct
Press Releases 2

Name: Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed

  • Nationality: Mauritanian
  • Date of Election: 27 August 2026
    Professional Experience
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    September 2023 – July 2026:
    Strategic Advisor: United Nations and International Diplomatic Academies
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    April 2022 – July 2023:
    Minister / Chief of Cabinet to the President of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania
    June 2018 – March 2022:
    Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Mauritanians Abroad (Mauritanian
    Government)
    May 2015 – February 2018:
    Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General to Yemen (with the rank of Under-Secretary
    General), United Nations. New York – Amman (Jordan)
    January 2015 – April 2015:
    Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Mission for the
    Elimination of Ebola (at the level of Under-Secretary-General). Ghana – Guinea – Liberia –
    Sierra Leone
    February 2014 – December 2014:
    Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Deputy Head of the United Nations
    Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), and Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator (at the
    level of Assistant Secretary-General). Tripoli (Libya)
    April 2012 – February 2014:
    United Nations Resident Coordinator, Humanitarian Coordinator and Resident Representative of
    the United Nations Development Programme. Sana’a (Yemen)
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    May 2008 – March 2012:
    United Nations Resident Coordinator, Humanitarian Coordinator and Resident Representative of
    the United Nations Development Programme. Damascus (Syria)
    May 2007 – May 2008:
    Director of Change Management, Office of the Executive Director. UNICEF Headquarters – New
    York
    December 2006 – April 2007:
    Deputy Director of Human Resources at UNICEF – Strategic Talent Manager. Headquarters –
    New York
    May 2005 – December 2006:
    Deputy Regional Director, UNICEF Regional Office for Eastern and Southern Africa (ESARO).
    Nairobi (Kenya)
    September 2002 – May 2005:
    UNICEF Resident Representative, Tbilisi, Georgia (Central and Eastern Europe / Commonwealth
    of Independent States)
    April 2000 – August 2002:
    Regional Human Resources Officer, Regional Office for the Middle East and North Africa.
    Amman (Jordan)
    July 1998 – April 2000:
    Head of Human Resources – Middle East and North Africa Region. UNICEF Headquarters – New
    York
    August 1997 – July 1998:
    A research year at the University of Manchester – United Kingdom
    May 1986 – June 1997:
    Operations Officer at UNICEF. Mauritania – Togo – Democratic Republic of the Congo
    July 1985 – April 1986:
    Project Officer (Community Development), Food Security Commission – Government of
    Mauritania
    Academic Qualifications
    Advanced Certificate in Economics and Social Policy Analysis
    (April 2006 – February 2007)
  • Maastricht School of Governance, Maastricht University (Netherlands)