KABUL—On September 3, 2024, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres appointed Georgette Gagnon as his new Deputy Special Representative (Political) for Afghanistan in the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).

She arrived in Kabul on 27 September 2024 to assume her duties.

Ms. Gagnon brings over 28 years of experience supporting peacebuilding processes and leading strategic initiatives on human rights, humanitarian action, and development in conflict and post-conflict settings.  Since 2021, Ms. Gagnon has served as Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Libya in the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) and Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Libya.

Before her service in UNSMIL, she worked as Director of Field Operations and Technical Cooperation in the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), where she led the work of the Office’s field presences globally. From 2010 to 2015, Ms. Gagnon served as Director of Human Rights for UNAMA. She also held positions of Director and Senior Adviser on the protection of civilians, human rights, and the rule of law with the United Nations, national governments, and non-governmental organizations in Africa, Syria, and the Balkans.

Ms. Gagnon holds a Bachelor of Laws from Osgoode Hall Law School-York University in Toronto, Canada, and a Master of Laws in International Human Rights Law from the University of Essex in the United Kingdom.