Appointed by António Guterres on September 14, 2026, as UN Assistant Secretary-General for Africa within the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations (DPPA-DPO), Kenyan diplomat Martin Kimani succeeds Ghana’s Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee, bringing with him over 25 years of experience in diplomacy and security. From 2020 to 2024, he served as Kenya’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York. In 2023, he chaired the Executive Board of UNDP, UNFPA, and UNOPS. His versatile background will strengthen the UN’s strategic and multilateral engagement on the continent.
Kenyan diplomat Martin Kimani has been appointed UN Under-Secretary-General for Africa. The decision was made official on September 14, 2026, by Secretary-General António Guterres. He serves within the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations (DPPA-DPO), bringing an ambitious vision for the continent. At 55, Martin Kimani possesses over 25 years of experience in international relations and security. He previously led Kenya’s National Counter Terrorism Centre and efforts to combat extremism. From 2020 to 2024, he served as Kenya’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York. In this capacity, he sat on the Security Council and held its presidency in October 2021.
“Four years ago, the world became even more dangerous. We now find ourselves on the edge of an abyss, wavering between a full-scale return to predation and the ‘law of the jungle,’ and the reimagining or renewal of a fragile, unequal global system—one that always seems to require a profound crisis in order to transform.”
Martin Kimani, UN Under-Secretary-General for Africa – Kenya
During his tenure on the Security Council, Kenyan diplomat Martin Kimani advocated for an expanded form of diplomacy. He maintains that the defense of African interests must incorporate the continent’s various diasporas worldwide. His work reflects a comprehensive and inclusive approach to the sovereignty of peoples of African descent—a vision that was notably brought to life during the Council’s deliberations held on Kenyan soil.
“When the Security Council met in Kenya in January of last year, one of our priorities was to bring forward the voice of Africa and its peoples. To do this, we determined that we also needed to advocate for the African diaspora—as defined by the African Union, which encompasses all people of African descent across the globe, including those in British Columbia. That is why we took a particular interest in the status and situation of Afro-Colombians—their economic, political, and security-related well-being—and raised these issues before the Council.”
Martin Kimani, UN Under-Secretary-General for Africa – Kenya
As the African continent faces major security and political challenges, the effectiveness of UN bodies is frequently tested by geopolitical stalemates. True to his long-standing advocacy for greater representativeness and a renewed multilateralism, the new Under-Secretary-General points out that the paralysis of the Security Council erodes its legitimacy in the eyes of nations, making a profound restructuring inevitable.
“Once again, the General Assembly has taken up the matter, given the Security Council’s difficulties in responding to threats to international peace and security. Every veto that disregards the realities on the ground only reinforces the urgent need for Security Council reform. Without a profound transformation, the Council’s credibility and legitimacy in the eyes of people around the world will continue to be severely undermined.”
Martin Kimani, UN Under-Secretary-General for Africa – Kenya
Operating at the intersection of political affairs and peacekeeping operations, Martin Kimani will be tasked with guiding the UN’s strategic action in Africa. His field expertise in preventing violent extremism, combined with his mastery of the diplomatic machinery in New York, represents a valuable asset for fostering a new dynamic of partnership between the United Nations, the African Union, and regional organizations.
