A Special Representative of the Secretary-General is a senior official appointed by the secretary-general of the United Nations to represent them in a specific country, region, or thematic area. Special Representatives typically head United Nations peacekeeping operations, political missions, or specialized offices, and may conduct country visits, report on conditions on the ground, and act as negotiators on behalf of the United Nations.
Current Special Representatives Special Representatives include: +Current Special RepresentativesNameTitle Date of appointmentKhassim DiagneSpecial Representative and Head of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP)3 September 2025Carlos Gabriel Ruiz-Massieu Aguirre Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Haiti and Head of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH)2 July 2025James C. SwanSpecial Representative for Somalia and Head of the United Nations Transitional Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNTMIS)28 March 2025Hanna TettehSpecial Representative for Libya and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya24 January 2025Mohamed Al Hassan Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Iraq and Head of UNAMI10 October 2024Kamal KishoreSpecial Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR)27 March 2024Kaha ImnadzeSpecial Representative of the Secretary-General for Central Asia and Head of the United Nations Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia14 June 2023Leonardo Santos SimaoSpecial Representative of the Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel and Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel2 May 2023Georgette GagnonSpecial Representative for Afghanistan and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA)6 September 2025Valentine RugwabizaSpecial Representative of the Secretary-General for the Central African Republic and Head of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA)23 February 2022Parfait Onanga-AnyangaSpecial Representative of the Secretary-General to the African Union and Head of the United Nations Office to the African Union22 February 2022Peter N. DueSpecial Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK)10 November 2025Alexander IvankoSpecial Representative of the Secretary-General for Western Sahara and Head of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO)27 August 2021El Ghassim WaneSpecial Representative of the Secretary-General for Mali and Head of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali15 March 2021Bintou KeitaSpecial Representative of the Secretary-General in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Head of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO)14 January 2021Damilola OgunbiyiSpecial Representative of the Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL)October 2019Helen La LimeSpecial Representative of the Secretary-General for Haiti and Head of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH)14 October 2019Najat Maalla M'jidSpecial Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence Against Children (SRSG/VAC)30 May 2019Miroslav JenčaSpecial Representative of the Secretary-General for Colombia and Head of the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia08 September 2025Pramila PattenSpecial Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict (SRSG/SVC)12 April 2017Vanessa FrazierSpecial Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict (SRSG/CAAC)3 October 2025United Nations, "Ms. Vanessa Frazier of Malta - Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict", 3 October 2025. Retrieved 9 October 2025.Anita Kiki GbehoSpecial Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS)10 April 2026United Nations, "Ms. Kiki Gbeho of Ghana - Special Representative for South Sudan and Head of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS)", 10 April 2026. Retrieved 13 April 2026.
Current Deputy Special Representatives Deputy Special Representatives include: +Current Deputy Special RepresentativesNameTitleDate of appointmentIngeborg Ulrika Ulfsdotter RichardsonDeputy Special Representative of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) and Resident Coordinator in Libya08 August 2025Georgette GagnonDeputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan with the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA)03 September 2024Milbert Dongjoon ShinDeputy Special Representative of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo24 July 2024Barrie FreemanDeputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel10 May 2024Stephanie KouryDeputy Special Representative for Political Affairs in the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), Officer-in-Charge1 March 2024Indrika RatwatteDeputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan with the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Afghanistan07 November 2023Mohamed Ag AyoyaDeputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for the Central African Republic21 November 2022Ulrika RichardsonDeputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) and Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Haiti12 May 2022Raúl Rosende RodriguezDeputy Special Representative (DSRSG) and Deputy Head of the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia15 March 2022Bruno LemarquisDeputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General in the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) and Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in the Democratic Republic of the Congo18 January 2022Ghulam Mohammad Isaczai Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Iraq and in the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) and Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq19 July 2022Guang CongDeputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General (Political) for South Sudan and Deputy Head of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS)24 March 2020
Former Special Representatives Former Special Representatives include: