Ban Ki-moon makes two key appointments for peacekeeping operations

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today announced he is appointing a Nigerian Lieutenant General and a Nepali Major General to two key positions in the UN’s peacekeeping operations around the world.

Lieutenant General Chikadibia Obiakor of Nigeria is to take over as Military Adviser for the UN’s global peacekeeping operations.

Currently serving as the Force Commander of the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), he began his military career with the Nigerian army in 1973. Among other offices, he has served as the Commander of the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) Artillery Brigade in Liberia in 1996 and 1997 and also as its chief coordinator of the country’s elections.

Mr. Ban has also appointed Major General Paban Jung Thapa of Nepal as Force Commander of the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS).

General Thapa was recently commander of the Infantry Division in eastern Nepal during his country’s recent Constituent Assembly elections and he has also served on UN peacekeeping missions in the former Yugoslavia and in Lebanon.