Carlos Lopes succeeds Janneh as ECA head

Dr. Carlos Lopes will take over as the new Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) as Dr. Abdulie Janneh bows out after seven years of service.

Dr. Janneh retired as UN Under-Secretary and Executive Secretary of the  ECA at the end of August 2012.

Lopes who succeeds him, has been serving as Director of the United Nations System Staff College (UNSSC) at the level of Assistant Secretary-General and Executive Director of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) since 2007.

He previously served as UN Assistant-Secretary-General and Director for Political Affairs in the Executive Office of the Secretary-General, a press release from the ECA copied to ghanabusinessnews.com says.

Dr. Lopes has actively contributed to research on development issues. Specialized in development and strategic planning, he has authored or edited 22 books and taught at Universities and academic institutions in Lisbon, Coimbra, Zurich, Uppsala, Mexico, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.

By Emmanuel K. Dogbevi