APHRC Executive Director to Join the United Nations University Council

By Mary Hearty

Prof. Catherine Kyobutungi, Executive Director of the African Population and Health Research Cente (APHRC) has been appointed to join the United Nations University (UNU) Council.

The new UNU Council members were appointed jointly by United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Director-General Audrey Azoulay in accordance with Article IV of the UNU Charter.

Together with other members of the Council, the APHRC Executive Director will formulate the principles and policies of UNU, govern the University’s operations, and consider and approve the UNU biennial work programme and budget.

The new appointees, who will serve six-year terms (2022‒2028), will formally take office on 4 May and will participate in the upcoming 77th Session of the UNU Council on 30–31 May.

Appointed Council members serve in an individual capacity ― not as representatives of their country’s government ― and are selected with an eye to achieving a geographic and gender balance, with due regard to major academic, scientific, educational, and cultural trends and expertise.

The other five new UNU Council members are:

Ms Yamini Aiyar (India), President & Chief Executive, Centre for Policy Research
Sir Hilary Beckles (Barbados), Vice-Chancellor, The University of the West Indies
Dr Enrique Forero (Colombia), President, Colombian Academy of Exact, Physical and Natural Sciences
Kuni Sato (Japan), Advisor, East Japan Railway Trading Co., Ltd
Dr Vanessa Scherrer (France), Vice President for International Affairs of Sciences Po

They join six Council members whose terms will end in 2025:

Dr Denisa Čiderová (Slovakia), Associate Professor in the Department of International Trade and Liaison for Idea Puzzle at the University of Economics in Bratislava
Dr Comfort Ero (United Kingdom), President and CEO, International Crisis Group
Dr Xin Fang (China), Professor, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
Adam Habib (South Africa), Director, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London
‘Funmi Olonisakin (United Kingdom & Nigeria), Vice-President & Vice-Principal International and Professor of Security, Leadership & Development, King’s College London
Brenda Yeoh (Singapore), Raffles Professor of Social Sciences, National University of Singapore

In addition to these 12 appointed members, the 16-member UNU Council includes the UNU Rector and three ex officio members: the United Nations Secretary–General, the Director–General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and the Executive Director of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR).