He succeeds Hanna S. Tetteh of Ghana who was appointed as Special Representative to the African Union and Head of the United Nations Office to the African Union (UNOAU).
Currently Ethiopia’s Foreign Affairs minister since 2016 and member of the Addis Ababa City Council (since 2012), Mr. Workneh Gebeyehu previously served as Minister of Transport (2013-2016).
He was also a member of Ethiopian House of People’s Representative Parliament (2005-2012).
He served in different positions at regional and federal levels of the government of Ethiopia, notably, Commissioner General of the Ethiopian Police (2001-2012), head of Administration Affairs Bureau and Cabinet member of Oromiya Regional State (1999-2000).
He also served in different positions (officer to department head) under the Security, Immigration and Refugee Authority (1992-1998).
Mr. Workneh Gebeyehu holds a Bachelor of Arts (BA) and Master of Arts (MA) in Political Science and International Relations, Addis Ababa University, and PHD in Police Science from Criminal Justice and Police Science Department of the University of South Africa (March 2016).
The Secretary-General said Ms. Maimunah Mohd Sharif, Executive Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), will continue to serve as Acting Director-General UNON until Mr. Workneh Gebeyehu assumes his position.