SG/A/919
AFR/1151
BIO/3655
4 May 2005

Biographical Note

François Lonseny Fall Appointed Special Representative of Secretary-General for Somalia

NEW YORK, 3 May (UN Headquarters) -- Secretary-General Kofi Annan has designated François Lonseny Fall as his Special Representative for Somalia and Head of the United Nations Political Office for Somalia (UNPOS).  Mr. Fall will assume his duties later this month in Nairobi, Kenya, where the Office is currently located.

Mr. Fall, who is a national of Guinea, was Prime Minister of Guinea (February to April 2004) and served as Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation (2002-2004).

He was his country’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York (2000-2002), Vice-President of the fifty-fifth session of the General Assembly (2000), and President of the Security Council (March 2003).

Mr. Fall was a member of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Ministerial Committee for Security and Mediation (2002-2004) and of the United Nations Committee for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (2000-2002).

Earlier, he served as Director of the Department of Legal and Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Conakry (1996-2000), as well as in various diplomatic posts in Paris, New York, Lagos, Cairo and Conakry (1982-1990).

He was Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Law at the University of Conakry (1977-1979).

Mr. Fall obtained his master’s degree in law from the University of Conakry (1976).

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