The African Union Permanent Delegation to the United Nations Office in Geneva and other international organizations held an introductory team meeting on September 2^nd, 2025, to welcome H.E. Dr. Girma Amente, the newly appointed Permanent Representative who assumed duty on 1^st September 2025.

Addressing the staff members, Dr. Amente set the tone for his mandate, outlining his priorities and expectations. He emphasized that his first 100 days would focus on listening, learning, and diagnosing opportunities and challenges, while capitalizing on the mission’s existing achievements to enhance Africa’s visibility and global influence.

The new Permanent Representative called on staff to work collectively and diligently strengthen Africa’s voice in multilateral platforms, in line with the African Union’s Agenda 2063, particularly Aspiration 7: “Africa as a strong, united, resilient, and influential global partner and player.”

Dr. Amente also stressed the importance of Africa’s collective engagement in Geneva, noting that the mission’s work must align with the broader aspirations of Africa.

He outlined the following guiding principles for his tenure:

· Team Unity and Collaboration: Encouraging teamwork, mutual respect, and transparent communication to maximize efficiency.

· Commitment to Africa: Reinforcing the mission’s role in supporting the continent’s priorities on social, economic and political thematic areas.

· Innovation and Resourcefulness: Adopting adaptive and creative approaches to overcome resource and staffing constraints.

· Partnership Building: Strengthening Africa’s alliances with the UN system, international organizations, and partners in Geneva.

It is worth noting that H.E. Dr. Girma Amente succeeds H.E. Ambassador Amr Abdellatif Aboualatta, who successfully concluded his tenure as Permanent Representative of the AU in Geneva.

About H.E. Dr. Girma Amente

H.E. Dr. Girma Amente was appointed as the African Union Permanent Representative in Geneva on July 1^st, 2025 and assumed duty on September 1^st, 2025.

Prior to his appointment, Dr. Amente served as Minister of Agriculture of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (2023–2025), where he led transformative initiatives in food security and agricultural development. He also served as Minister of Public Enterprises, overseeing major state-owned enterprises. Earlier in his career, he was President of Haramaya University, one of Ethiopia’s leading higher learning institutions, and Vice Governor of Rural Development and Agriculture Division, Oromia Regional State.

Dr. Amente has been deeply involved in AU processes, including the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), the Inter-African Coffee Organization, AU climate Summits.

He holds a Ph.D. in Silviculture from the Albert-Ludwigs University of Freiburg, Germany, an M.Sc. in Production Forestry from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, and a B.Sc. in Forestry from Haramaya University, Ethiopia.

With extensive experience in governance, agriculture, education, and diplomacy, Dr. Amente is recognized for his leadership in development strategies, multilateral negotiations, and his commitment to Africa’s food sovereignty and prosperity.

Media Contact:

Ms. Esther Azaa Tankou | Head, Media and Information Division | Information and Communications Directorate, AUC, | E-mail: yamboue@africanunion.org  , Tel: +251911361185 / +1 3478127195 (WhatsApp)