Senegalese legal expert appointed UN special adviser on prevention of genocide

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has appointed Adama Dieng of Senegal, currently serving as Registrar of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), as his Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide.

Mr. Dieng will replace Francis Deng of Sudan, who has served in the post since 2007.

As a legal and human rights expert, Mr. Dieng has a distinguished career in contributing to the strengthening of rule of law, fighting impunity and promoting capacity building in the area of judicial and democratic institutions, including through fact-finding missions, publications and media, according to a note announcing the appointment.

He has also contributed to the establishment of several non-governmental organizations in Africa; served on the International Commission of Jurists; served as the UN Independent Expert for Haiti; acted as Envoy of the UN Secretary-General to Malawi; and was the driving force behind the establishment of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

Mr. Dieng, 62, also has experience with a number of international organizations, including the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

The Office of the Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide was set up in 2004 in recognition of the international community’s collective failure to prevent or stop past genocides. It is tasked by the Security Council with collecting and assessing information on situations that might lead to genocide.

It is also mandated to advise the Secretary-General and, through him, the Security Council, and make recommendations to prevent or halt genocide, as well as to liaise with the UN system on preventive measures and enhance the UN’s capacity to analyze and manage information on genocide or related crimes.