Elhadj As Sy (born 1958 ) is a Senegalese humanitarian aid expert who served as the Secretary General of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) from 2014 until 2019.
Education Sy studied Arts and Human Sciences at the University of Dakar. He then pursued Master’s studies in Arts and Germanistik at the University of Graz, and graduated from the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna. He was also awarded a post graduate diploma in Education from the École normale supérieure in Dakar.
Sy speaks English, French and German. He currently resides in Geneva.
Career From 1988 to 1997, Sy served as Director of Health and Development Programmes with Environment and Development Action in the Third World in Dakar, Senegal. He later worked with The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria as its Africa Regional Director and as Director of Operational Partnerships and Country Support in Geneva.“UNAIDS and International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent renew collaboration” UNAIDS, 11 December 2008 Mr. Sy has also held the position of UNAIDS Representative in New York and Director of the New York Liaison Office.United Nations Special Session on HIV/AIDS, 25-27 June 2011 New York
From 2005 to 2008, Sy was Director, HIV/AIDS Practice with the United Nations Development Programme in New York City and, before joining the IFRC in 2014, he worked as Director of Partnerships and Resource Development for UNICEF. He has also served as UNICEF Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa and Global Emergency Coordinator for the Horn of Africa.
Sy is a member of the Independent Oversight and Advisory Committee for the WHO Health Emergencies Programme. In January 2016, he was appointed by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to the High-level Advisory Group for Every Woman Every Child.UN Secretary-General Announces Members of the High-Level Advisory Group for Every Woman Every Child Every Woman Every Child, press release of 21 January 2016. In response to the West African Ebola virus epidemic, Ban also appointed him to the Global Health Crises Task Force in 2016 for a period of one year; the group was jointly chaired by Jan Eliasson, Jim Yong Kim, Margaret Chan and Helen Clark.Note to Correspondents: Secretary-General Appoints Global Health Crises Task Force Secretary-General of the United Nations, press release of 29 June 2016. From 2018 to 2022, he co-chaired (alongside Gro Harlem Brundtland) the joint World Bank/WHO Global Preparedness Monitoring Board (GPMB).WHO and World Bank Group Join Forces to Strengthen Global Health Security World Bank, press release of May 24, 2018 On 16 October 2024, Sy was appointed as the first Chancellor of the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine.
Other activities Corporate boards Volkswagen, Member of the Sustainability Council (since 2016)Volkswagen Group appoints international Sustainability Council Volkswagen, press release of September 28, 2016. Non-profit organizations Interpeace, Member of the Governing Board (since 2020)Elhadj As Sy appointed to the Governing Board of Interpeace Interpeace, press release of April 22, 2020. UNAIDS, Member of the Advisory Group (since 2020)Advisory Group: Biographies, 3 February 2022 UNAIDS. Wellcome Trust, Member of the Board of Governors (since 2020)Four new appointments to Wellcome’s Board of Governors Wellcome Trust, press release of August 23, 2019. World Health Summit, Co-Chair of the Council (since 2020)Council World Health Summit. Kofi Annan Foundation, Chair of the Board (since 2019)News Release Kofi Annan Foundation. International Gender Champions (IGC), MemberMembers International Gender Champions (IGC). RBM Partnership To End Malaria, Member of the BoardBoard RBM Partnership To End Malaria.
References
External links
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)