A former Chief of General Staff of the Senegalese army will be taking over from his Uruguayan counterpart Humberto Loitey as UN military advisor.
It’s the beginning of a new chapter for General Birame Diop.
After a successful career at the national and regional level, he will now put his experience to good use in the cause of world peace.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appointed him as Military Adviser to the organisation’s Department of Peace Operations.
The former National Security Adviser to the president of Senegal and Chief of Staff of the Air Force brings to his new role over 30 years of military experience.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Senegalese Abroad welcomed this important appointment, extended its warm congratulations to General Diop and wished him every success in the exercise of his high position,” the Senegalese diplomatic department said Wednesday.
Previously, Lieutenant General Birame Diop was Deputy Chief and then Chief of Air Operations of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC), between 2002 and 2003, and was deployed with the NGO Partners for Democratic Change, from 2009 to 2013.
The Lieutenant General, who will be promoted to the rank of Air General on 1 January 2021 and admitted to the 2nd (reserve) section of the General Staff on 30 March 2021, is a graduate of the Royal Moroccan Air Force Academy, the United States Air Force University and the French War College.
In his new assignment, Diop will be supported by Major General Maureen O’Brien of Ireland.
She has been appointed by the Secretary General as Deputy Military Adviser.
She brings with her over 20 years of experience and has worked in several peace operations.
Brigadier General Mohammad Nazmul Haque from Bangladesh will join this new leadership as Chief of Staff of the Office of Military Affairs.
ARD/cgd/lb/as/APA