Hanna Tetteh appointed UN Special Rep for Libya and Head of UNSMIL

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has announced the appointment of Hanna Serwaa Tetteh from Ghana as his Special Representative for Libya and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL).

She succeeds Abdoulaye Bathily of Senegal, who served as Special Envoy and Head of UNSMIL until May 2024. The Secretary-General expresses his gratitude for Mr. Bathily’s leadership, as well as to Deputy Special Representative Stephanie Koury, who led the Mission as Officer-in-Charge during the interim period.

Ms. Tetteh brings decades of experience at national, regional, and international levels. Most recently, she served as the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa from 2022 to 2024. Prior to that, she was the Special Representative to the African Union and Head of the United Nations Office to the African Union (UNOAU) from 2018 to 2020. She also held the role of Director-General of the United Nations Office at Nairobi.

Before joining the United Nations, Ms. Tetteh was a senior cabinet member of the Government of Ghana, serving as Minister for Foreign Affairs from 2013 to 2017. In addition, she was a member of Ghana’s National Security Council and Armed Forces Council. She also served as Minister for Trade and Industry from 2009 to 2013.

During her time as Foreign Minister (2014-2015), she chaired the Council of Ministers and the Mediation and Security Council of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). As Minister for Trade and Industry, she contributed to Ghana’s economic management team and served on various boards, including the Millennium Development Authority and the National Development Planning Commission. She was also Chairperson of the Ghana Free Zones Board.

Ms. Tetteh has had a distinguished political career, serving as a Member of Parliament for the Awutu Senya Constituency from 2000 to 2005, and again for the Awutu Senya West Constituency from 2013 to 2017. She was also appointed Co-Facilitator of the High-Level Forum for the Revitalization of the South Sudan Peace Agreement.

Ms. Tetteh holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree from the University of Ghana and was called to the Bar in 1992 after completing her post-graduate studies at the Ghana School of Law.

She is fluent in English, Hungarian, and Fante.