Ms. Stephanie Koury 

Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Officer-in-Charge UNSMIL

The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appointed Ms. Koury, of the United States, as Deputy Special Representative for Political Affairs (DSRSG-P) in the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) on 1 March 2024.    

Ms. Koury arrived in Libya on 24 April 2024. On 16 May 2024, she assumed the role of officer-in-charge following the resignation of the former Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General, Mr. Abdoulaye Bathily.

Ms. Koury has more than 30 years of extensive experience supporting political processes, peace talks and mediation in conflict and post-conflict settings, including in the Middle East and over 15 years with the United Nations in Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, the Sudan, Syria, and Yemen.  Ms. Koury previously served in Libya with UNSMIL from 2011 – 2013 and most recently served as Director of Political Affairs in the United Nations Transition Assistance Mission in the Sudan (UNITAMS).

Ms. Stephanie Koury holds a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government from the University of Texas, US.  Ms. Koury speaks Arabic and English.

Mr. Aeneas Chuma

Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, a.i.

Mr. Aeneas Chuma of Zimbabwe was recently appointed as Deputy Special-Representative of the Secretary-General, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator ad-interim in Libya.  He succeeds Georgette Gagnon of Canada, who completed her assignment on 13 September 2024. Mr. Chuma will be based in Tripoli. 

Mr. Chuma brings to the position a wealth of development, humanitarian, peacekeeping and leadership experience with the broader United Nations system. He has previously served as DSRSG with UNMIL (Liberia), ILO Assistant Director General and Regional Director for Africa, UNAIDS Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, and UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Zambia, Kenya, Ethiopia and Eritrea. Before joining the United Nations, Mr. Chuma served as Macro-economist and Econometrician at the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, his home country.  

Mr. Chuma holds a MSc in Applied Economics from the University of California in the United States of America.