UN Names Former Haiti PM Garry Conille as New Top Official in Nairobi

The United Nations has appointed former Haitian Prime Minister Garry Conille as the new United Nations Resident Coordinator in Kenya, marking a major leadership change in the UN’s operations in Nairobi. His appointment was confirmed by UN Secretary-General António Guterres after receiving the approval of the Kenyan government.

Conille officially took over the role on Wednesday, April 1, replacing Dr Stephen Jackson, whose term ended on March 31.

According to the UN, Conille comes into the position with more than 20 years of solid experience in international development, humanitarian work, governance, and public administration.

Over the years, he has built a strong reputation within the United Nations system through his leadership in crisis management, social development programmes, and coordination of complex international operations.

His appointment to Kenya is seen as a strategic move, especially at a time when the country continues to play a key role in regional peace and global security efforts.

Before taking up the Nairobi role, Conille most recently served as UNICEF Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, where he led major programmes focused on improving child welfare, strengthening healthcare systems, expanding access to education, and reducing inequality in vulnerable communities.

His work in the region earned him recognition for championing social protection and public health reforms, especially in countries facing economic and political difficulties.

Within the United Nations, Conille has also previously served as United Nations Resident Coordinator in both Jamaica and Burundi.

In those assignments, he demonstrated strong leadership in bringing together UN agencies, governments, and development partners to support national priorities.

His background in coordinating UN operations at country level is expected to be valuable as he now leads the UN team in Kenya, one of the most important diplomatic and humanitarian hubs in Africa.

Outside the UN system, Conille is also widely known for his political leadership in Haiti, where he served as Prime Minister on two separate occasions.

His most recent term ran from May to November 2024, during one of Haiti’s most difficult periods, which was marked by rising gang violence, humanitarian suffering, weak institutions, and political uncertainty.

During that time, he led efforts aimed at stabilizing the country and restoring public confidence in government institutions.

His connection with Kenya became more visible in October 2024, when he made a four-day official visit to Nairobi.

During the visit, he held high-level talks with President William Ruto at State House, where the two leaders discussed ways to strengthen cooperation on security matters, particularly Haiti’s growing crisis.

A key focus of the meeting was Kenya’s leadership role in the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission, which later became known as the Gang Suppression Force (GSF).

The mission was created to help restore law and order in Haiti after receiving approval from the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

At that stage, Kenya had already sent 400 police officers to Haiti, while another 600 officers were undergoing specialized training ahead of deployment.

The operation positioned Kenya as a major global security partner and highlighted Nairobi’s growing influence in international peacekeeping efforts.

However, just weeks after his Kenya visit, Haiti’s internal political tensions deepened. On November 10, 2024, Conille was impeached and removed from office by Haiti’s Transitional Presidential Council following intense political disagreements and power struggles within the country’s leadership.

He was later replaced by Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, bringing an abrupt end to his short but highly significant second term as prime minister.

His appointment in Nairobi now comes at a critical time, especially as the Haiti security mission undergoes a major restructuring process.

Some of the Kenyan police officers who had been deployed to the Caribbean nation have already started returning home, while troops from Chad are expected to gradually take over parts of the mission.

This transition has sparked renewed attention on Kenya’s diplomatic relationship with Haiti and the broader international effort to stabilize the troubled nation.

Conille’s arrival in Kenya is therefore expected to bring deep diplomatic experience, crisis leadership skills, and a strong understanding of both humanitarian and security challenges.

With Nairobi serving as a key center for UN operations in Africa, his leadership could play an important role in shaping development partnerships, humanitarian responses, and regional peace initiatives in the months ahead.

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