NEW PERMANENT OBSERVER OF THE AFRICAN UNION PRESENTS LETTER OF NOMINATION TO DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF UNOG

Kadija Rachida Masri, the new Permanent Observer of the African Union to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva, today presented her letter of nomination to Sergei Ordzhonikidze, the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva.

Prior to her appointment to Geneva, Ms. Masri, a career diplomat with the Tunisian Foreign Ministry, had been serving in the Office of the Tunisian Secretary of State for African Affairs since 2001. From 1998 to 2001, she served at the Tunisian Embassy in Stockholm. She worked at the Tunisian Embassy in Algiers from 1988 to 1992.

During her career with the Tunisian Foreign Ministry which started in 1981, which was preceded by two years with the Interior Ministry, Ms. Masri has held several different posts, including Deputy Director for European and Euro-Mediterranean Organizations from 1996 to 1998. She was also the Head of the Division for bilateral cooperation with North African countries from 1985 to 1988. She has represented Tunisia in a number of international, regional and United Nations meetings and conferences on issues varying from human rights to the promotion of the rights of women, children and the family.

Born on 5 August 1953, Ms. Masri has one child.