SECRETARY-GENERAL APPOINTS BABACAR GAYE OF SENEGAL SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

NEW YORK, July 17, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today announced the appointment of Babacar Gaye of Senegal as his Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA). MINUSCA was established by Security Council resolution 2149 (2014) of 10 April 2014.

Mr. Gaye is currently the acting Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the Central African Republic and Head of MINUSCA. Until April 2014, he served as Representative of the Secretary-General for the Central African Republic and Head of the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office for the Central African Republic (BINUCA).

Mr. Gaye brings to this position many years of diplomatic, political and military experience with the United Nations system particularly in the field of peacekeeping and his national Government. He served as Assistant Secretary-General and Military Adviser to the Under-Secretary General for Peacekeeping Operations from 2010-2013 at United Nations Headquarters. He also served as Force Commander for the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO and previously the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo, or MONUC) from 2005-2010, and in several peace missions including in Lebanon and Iraq.

A graduate of the École spéciale militaire de Saint-Cyr in France, he holds several national and international decorations.

Mr. Gaye is married and has two children.