NEW DIRECTOR OF UN OFFICE ON DRUGS AND CRIME TAKES OFFICE AT VIENNA

By: UN Information Service

Photo: UNDOC

Monica Juma of Kenya assumed office 2026 11 May as the new Director-General of the UN Office at Vienna and Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), following her appointment by UN Secretary-General António Guterres.

“I am incredibly proud and honoured to be leading these two offices in Vienna at a critical time for multilateralism,” said Ms. Juma. “I look forward to contributing my experience in the defence, security and diplomatic fields to the efforts of the UN in tackling some of today’s most pressing challenges to peace and security, including drugs, organized crime, corruption and terrorism, and to advance its goal of a safer, more just world.”

Ms. Juma previously served as the first-ever National Security Adviser to the President of the Republic of Kenya and as Secretary to Kenya’s National Security Council from 2022 until 2026. Prior to this, Ms. Juma held the role of Cabinet Secretary in strategic Ministries of Kenya, namely the Ministry of Energy; the Ministry of Defence; and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and was Acting Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Petroleum and Mining.

Ms. Juma also served as Ambassador of Kenya to Ethiopia and Djibouti as well as Permanent Representative of Kenya to the African Union, the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the United Nations Commission for Africa (UNECA) from 2010 to 2013.

Ms. Juma holds a PhD in Politics and a Certificate in Refugee Studies from University of Oxford (United Kingdom) as well as an M.A. and a B.A. in Government and Public Administration from the University of Nairobi (Kenya). She speaks English, Kiswahili and Kamba.