El Ghassim Wane

Mr Wane was appointed as the United Nations Secretary-General‘s Special Representative for Mali and Head of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) in 2021. Previous experience includes having served as Chief of Staff and Chief Adviser of the African Union (AU), Commission Chairperson (2017-2019) and the United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations (2016-2017). He has held several leadership positions with the AU, including as the AU Commission Peace and Security Director and Head of the Conflict Management Division, having contributed to the development of the AU’s key strategy and policy on conflict prevention and resolution, as well as prevention, mediation and peacebuilding processes across the continent. He served as visiting Professor of International Affairsat George Washington University, lectured at Sciences Po Paris, and served as visiting Senior Research Fellow at the African Leadership Centre, King’s College London. Mr Wane holds a master’s degree in International Public Law and International Relations, as well as a a postgraduate degree in International and European Studies from the Universities of Dakar (Senegal) and Lille II (France), respectively.