SG/A/1018
BIO/3799
PKO/146
13 September 2006
Biographical Note
Secretary-General Appoints Major-General Fernand Marcel Amoussou of Benin as New Force Commander of United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire
NEW YORK, 12 September (UN Headquarters) -- United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan has appointed Major-General Fernand Marcel Amoussou of Benin as the new Force Commander of the United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI) in replacement of Major-General Abdoulaye Fall, who left the Mission in April 2006.
Major-General Amoussou served as Deputy Force Commander of UNOCI since 22 August 2005 and as Acting Force Commander since April 2006. Before joining the United Nations, Major-General Amoussou was the Chief of Defence Staff of Benin (2000-2005) and the Chief of Staff of the army (1997-2000). He has also served as Director of Planning and Military Cooperation in the Ministry of Defence of Benin and has been involved on several occasions in regional initiatives aimed at enhancing the peacekeeping capacities of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Major-General Amoussou joined the Benin army in 1975. During his career, he successfully attended a number of training courses in renowned military academies in France and China. Major-General Amoussou graduated from the École Supérieure de Guerre de Paris.
Major-General Amoussou is 53 years old and is married with four children.
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