Egypt says Ghada Waly eligible for UNODC executive director position

CAIRO – 22 November 2019: The Foreign Ministry on Thursday hailed the decision of the United Nations secretary-general to appoint Ghada Waly, Egypt's social solidarity minister, as executive director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

Waly was also chosen to succeed Yury Fedotov of Russia as director-general of the UN Office at Vienna (UNOV).

The ministry affirmed in a statement that Waly has extensive experience and competence qualifying her to assume this important position, to serve member states and achieves the objectives of the UNODC in facing the challenges arising from crimes including organized crime and the spread of drugs and addiction.

Egypt has been keen to contribute to backing the system of the UN and enhancing multilateral cooperation, in a way that helps implement the principles and objectives of the Charter of the UN, the ministry said, referring to the role of Egyptian citizens holding positions at the UN in achieving such goals.

Waly brings to the position over thirty years of experience in the field of sustainable development, poverty reduction and social protection, women and youth empowerment, the UN wrote on its website.

Waly, since she took post as social solidarity minister, has developed the national anti-drug strategy, led a nation-wide drug awareness and prevention campaign among youth and pioneered innovative programmes to rehabilitate and reintegrate persons with substance use disorders into society.

In her current role, she also serves as Coordinator of the Inter-Ministerial Committee for Social Justice, Chairperson of the National Centre for Social and Criminological Research and chairs the Executive Council of Arab Ministers of Social Affairs in the League of Arab States.

Her previous leadership positions include Managing Director of the Social Fund for Development (2011‑2014), Assistant Resident Representative at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Egypt (2004‑2011) and Program Director of CARE International in Egypt (2000‑2004).

Waly holds a master’s degree in humanities and Bachelor of Arts in foreign languages and literature from the Colorado State University. She is fluent in Arabic, English and French and has a working knowledge of Spanish.