2 August 2013: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has appointed Ibrahim Thiaw (Mauritania) as Deputy Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). Thiaw succeeds Amina Mohamed (Kenya) in the post.

According to the UN, Thiaw has over 30 years of experience working in the fields of environment and sustainable development. He joins UNEP amid the “1,000 days of action” to reach the targets set out in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by the 2015 deadline. [UN Press Release][UNEP Press Release]