Our Team in Zambia

James Wakiaga assumed the position of UN Zambia Resident Coordinator ad interim on 23 September 2026. He currently serves as the UNDP Resident Representative in Zambia, a role he has held since June 2023.

He previously served as the UNDP Resident Representative in Eritrea from 2019 – 2023 and as a Senior Economist at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ethiopia and Zimbabwe, respectively. Prior to these roles, he worked as Chief Economist/Director in Kenya’s Foreign Service and served as Economic Counsellor at the Kenya Embassy in Washington DC. He has contributed to several knowledge products on Poverty, MDGs, SDGs, Human Development and Economic Growth with a focus on Africa.

He is also a Member of External Reviewers Group (ERG) and Strategic Studies Group (SSG) for the African Capacity Indicators Report (ACIR). He holds a graduate of Economics Honours degree cum laude from University of Nairobi, a Master’s degree in Economics from Renmin University of China (RUC) and a Doctorate in Social Transformation from Tangaza University.

Some of his most recent publications include: (1) An examination of the structural linkages between households and community health services in realization of accelerated primary healthcare delivery in Kisumu County, Kenya by F1000 Research (2021); (2) A systematic review the authorship of Chapter One on “The post-2015 development agenda: building global convergence on policy options” - in the book entitled - Development in Africa: Refocusing the lens after the Millennium Development Goals, published by Policy Press. He takes a keen interest in African development policy discourse and writings.

He is married to Dr. Lucy Wakiaga and they have two children.

Abigail Noko is the Regional Representative for Southern Africa at the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). She has worked at the OHCHR for the past 19 years in various capacities. In her current capacity, she is responsible for overseeing the work of the regional office which covers 14 countries (Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe). This includes providing technical assistance and advisory services in human rights to States, United Nations agencies, sub-regional organizations, national human rights institutions, and civil society organizations.

Anna Mutavati assumed her role as the Regional Director, UN Women East and Southern Africa Regional Office (ESARO) in December 2024. She is a human rights and social development expert with 20 years of experience in leadership and management, human rights, and gender equality programming. A lawyer by profession, Anna holds a Masters’ Degree in Women’s Law from the Southern and Eastern Regional Centre for Women’s Law (SEARCWL), University of Zimbabwe and a Degree in Law from the University of Zimbabwe. Prior to joining UN Women in Kenya, Anna was Deputy Representative and Head of Programmes at UN Women in Uganda for five years.

Ms. Cissy Byenkya, a national of Uganda, has been serving as Representative and Country Director of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) for Zambia since August 2021. She holds a master’s degree in financial economics from the University of London, a university degree in Economics, and a Post Graduate Diploma in Computer Science from Makerere University. She speaks English and basic French.

Before her appointment to Zambia, she served as Head of WFP Eswatini since February 2019.

Ms. Cissy Byenkya has almost 20 years of working experience within WFP. Committed to the objectives of the Programme to save lives and improve the livelihoods of the most vulnerable populations, she worked in the Uganda Country Office, Nairobi Regional Bureau office and Headquarters in Rome. She has extensive experience in managing all aspects of WFP operations with expertise in the management of programme and resources; supply chain; budget planning and logistics operations. She is skilled in tasks necessary to establish and run effective, large-scale food and nutrition supported programmes.

Diego Masera is currently UNIDO Representative for Southern Africa covering Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
From 2018 to 2023 he was the Chief of the Regional Coordination Bureau, Latin America and the Caribbean in charge of a regional network of offices which include one Regional Hub in Mexico, three regional offices in Uruguay, Brazil and Colombia, three National offices in Ecuador, Bolivia and Nicaragua. In parallel, from 2018 to 2022 he was the Deputy Director, Department of Programmes, Partnerships and Field Integration, and Chief of the Latin America and the Caribbean Division of UNIDO.
From 2015 to January 2018, he managed one of the largest United Nations Headquarters where he applied a number of energy efficiency interventions to make it the first UN HQ to be climate neutral ahead of the UN target.
Previously, Diego Masera was for five years the Chief of the Renewable Energy Division of UNIDO, in charge of a Global USD250M portfolio of projects that include a wide range of renewable technologies such as: Wind, Small Hydro Power, Solar PV, Solar thermal, Biomass gasification, biogas and biofuels.
From 2006 to 2010, Diego Masera was the Regional Technical Advisor on Energy and Climate Change for Latin America and the Caribbean of UNDP.
From 1990 to 2001, Diego Masera worked on SMEs development in Africa holding different positions for international organizations.
Diego Masera holds a Ph.D in Renewable Energy and a bachelor in Industrial Design Engineering. He has an extensive experience in inclusive and sustainable industrial development covering more than 50 countries and is author of several publications.

Dr. Agnes Kijazi is the WMO Director, Regional Office for Africa. She was appointed to this position on the 10th of December, 2022. Before her appointment, she was the Director General of Tanzania Meteorological Authority (TMA) and Permanent Representative (PR) of Tanzania with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the Third Vice President of the Word Meteorological Organization (WMO).

She has more than 30 years of working experience in the field of Meteorology at national and international levels, a career she started in 1988. During the period, Dr. Kijazi has been mostly engaged in meteorological operations and management at various positions. She has vast experience in meteorological infrastructure and technology; research, modeling and prediction; data management and information sharing; and quality assurance and risk management.

Dr. Kijazi has also served various positions at regional and global level. She served as a member of WMO Executive Council, member and Co-Chair of UN-10 Member Group to support the Technology Facilitation Mechanism (TFM), Member of International Affairs Committee of the American Meteorological Society (AMS) and Chair of the SADC-Meteorological Association of Southern Africa (MASA).

She has extensively contributed in the development and implementation of various WMO programmes at national, regional and global level, SADC - Meteorological Association of Southern Africa (MASA), East African Community (EAC), the African Ministerial Conference on Meteorology (AMCOMET), Tanzania Meteorological Society (TMS), American Meteorological Society (AMS), Tanzania Commission of Science and Technology (COSTECH), Tanzania Coffee Research Institute (TACRI) among others.

Dr. Agnes Kijazi holds a PhD and MSc in Meteorology obtained from the University of Cape town, South Africa; and BSc in Meteorology obtained from the University of Nairobi, Kenya.

Dr. Clement L. Peter Lasuba, who assumed his role as the World Health Organization (WHO) Representative in Zambia in February 2025, has nearly 26 years of international public health experience, including 19 with WHO. He has a profound understanding of Sub-Saharan Africa's health issues and a strong technical background in health program development and management.

He was educated at Lutaya Primary School, St. Mary’s Seminary in Wau, and the Universities of Juba (South Sudan) and Leeds (United Kingdom).

Dr. Lasuba has shown exemplary leadership in managing WHO country offices, tackling complex health challenges, and fostering collaborations with various entities. He is well-versed in addressing communicable, non-communicable, and neglected tropical diseases, as well as in health systems strengthening and health security. He has significantly contributed to managing public health emergencies like the West Africa Ebola outbreak, COVID-19 pandemic, and humanitarian crises in Nigeria and Ethiopia.
Known for his results-driven leadership, he values teamwork, empowerment, and performance excellence. He is a Fellow of the West Africa College of Physicians and the Liberia College of Physicians and Surgeons and has received the WHO Director-General’s Award for Excellence in 2016 and the WHO Director-General’s Team Award for Excellence.

Dr. Saja Farooq Abdullah, an Iraqi national, joins UNICEF Zambia from Azerbaijan, where she served as Country Representative. Her 28-year career in management and international public health has spanned multiple regions, including the Middle East and North Africa, South Asia, and Europe.
Dr. Abdullah brings extensive and diverse experience in both emergency response and development programming. She has served in leadership positions with UNICEF in Yemen, Bangladesh, Turkey and Sudan, and has also worked in the Regional Office in Jordan. Prior to that, Dr. Abdullah worked with the Ministry of Health in Iraq and with international NGOs in Yemen. She is a Medical Doctor and holds a Master’s degree in Community Health from the Faculty of Medicine at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.

Ms. Edith Kirumba, a national of Kenya, is the Country Director for Lesotho, Botswana and Zambia, based in the IFAD Multi Country Office in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Ms. Kirumba previously worked in the IFAD East and Southern Africa (ESA) Regional Office in Nairobi as an Environment and Climate Specialist for the ESA region. Prior to this, Ms. Kirumba worked as a Regional Programmes Manager with Hivos Foundation, and a Regional Programmes Coordinator with Vredeseilanden (Belgium) based in Arusha, Tanzania. In both roles, she led project teams and partners in the development and implementation of public private partnership operations across the Eastern Africa Region. Ms. Kirumba also worked as a Green Growth Programmes Manager with the African Technology and Policy Studies Network and as a Doctoral Research Fellow with the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) both in Nairobi.

Ms. Kirumba possesses a Doctorate Degree in Human Geography from the University of Bordeaux-Michel Montagne in France, and Masters and Bachelor’s Degrees in Environmental Sciences from Kenyatta University, in Nairobi, Kenya. She is also an accredited Lead Expert in Environmental and Social Impact Assessments and Audits from the National Environment Management Authority.

Helen Mebrahtu, a national of Eritrea, assumed her role as deputy representative for UNHCR Zambia in September 2023. She has over 20 years extensive experience working for UNHCR across a broad range of thematic portfolios including programmes and operations management, strategic planning and leadership, advocacy and resource mobilization. Her career with UNHCR has taken her across diverse regions and multi-cultural communities holding pivotal roles in advancing protection and solutions for stateless persons, refugees and others forced to flee. She worked in Senegal Multi-Country Office covering 8 countries in West Africa as well as in Tanzania, Malawi, South Africa regional office covering 7 countries in Southern Africa, South Sudan and Eritrea.
Prior to joining UNHCR, Ms Mebrahtu worked the with Central Bank of Eritrea. She also served as a journalist in the Ministry of Information where she contributed to several publications on social and economic issues.
She holds a B.A in Economics from University of Asmara and an M.A in Business Administration from Cavendish College.

Ms. Jane Marie Ongolo (Kenya) has over 25 years of relevant substantive and managerial experience in national and international positions of increasing responsibility, including work at the continental level with the African Union Commission.
During her career, she has served in various capacities including: Head of Social Welfare, Vulnerable
Groups, Drug Control and Crime Prevention with the African Union Commission (AUC) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia since 2018; Programme Manager, AU Plan of Action on Drug Control and Crime Prevention with the African Union Commission (2010-2018); National Programme Officer (HIV/AIDS) and National Project Officer (Drug Abuse and HIV Prevention) with UNODC ROEA in Nairobi (2005-2010); Regional Governance Advisor, East and Central Africa with the British Council in Kenya (2003-2005); National Programme Manager with the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Kenya (1999-2003); Development Officer, DFID Civil Society Umbrella Project with the British Council in Kenya (1998-1999); Programme Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer with Sinaga Women and Child Labour Resource Centre (NGO) in Kenya (1995-1998); and Children´s Officer with the Office of the Vice President and Ministry of Home Affairs and National Heritage, Department of Child (Government) in Kenya (1991-1995).
Jane Marie holds a doctorate in Business & Administration from the Bulacan State University and a
Master’s degree in Development Studies from the Erasmus University in Rotterdam. She is fluent in
English and has a basic knowledge of French.

Ms Livermore joins IOM Zambia with over 15 years of experience in migration management. She previously served as Head of Office in IOM Jamaica.
She also has extensive experience working with governments, international community and development partners.
She holds a Master of Science degree in International Relations.

Khauhelo Mawana took up the position of UNCTAD Regional Coordinator for East and Southern Africa as of 1 October 2023. Khauhelo brings with him a wealth of experience and expertise. Before returning to UNCTAD in 2019, he had been at the African Union Commission in Ethiopia, AfCFTA Support Unit, as a Senior Expert on Rules of Origin.

He has been an integral part of the UNCTAD starting with him leading the implementation of ASYCUDAWorld in Eswatini in 2014 - 2016.

Khauhelo holds a master’s degree in Fiscal Studies and he served in the Zimbabwe and Eswatini Customs Administrations for a combined 27 years.

An experienced sustainable development and private-sector professional with sixteen combined years’ proven field office, regional and headquarter level experience within UN system and over twenty years in international development with hands-on experience in provision of strategic advisory services, management and leadership, reform and coherence, interagency coordination, strategic planning, programming and partnerships building, whilst interfacing at high-level with governments development partners, private sector in Africa and the UN system. Kwasi has extensive development project management with large teams’ experience through many donor-supported development projects in Africa including the World Bank, USAID and AfDB. He has worked in many industries and sectors (ICT, Aviation, consultancy and Government) before joining the United Nations. Experienced Strategic planner with a demonstrated history of working in the international affairs industry. Strong professional with a Graduate Level education in International Development focused in Development Economics and International Development from Michigan State University.

Prof. Martial Zebaze Kana is currently serving as Officer-in-Charge (since November 2025) and Head of Science (since March 2019) at the UNESCO Regional Office for Southern Africa. In his capacity as Officer-in-Charge, he oversees all five UNESCO sectors—Education, Natural Sciences, Social and Human Sciences, Culture, and Communication & Information—ensuring integrated delivery of UNESCO’s mandate across the region. As Head of Science, he leads programmes on early warning systems, resilience building, water resource management, STEM, STI, and disaster risk reduction.

Previously, he was Chief of Section, Innovation and Capacity Building in Science and Engineering at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, where he also served as Executive Secretary of the International Basic Science Programme. Prior to joining UNESCO in 2017, he was Deputy Provost of the College of Engineering and Technology at Kwara State University, Nigeria, and UNESCO Chairholder in Alternative Energy at the same institution.

Prof. Zebaze Kana has held visiting professorships at numerous universities and research laboratories worldwide. His research focused on experimental studies of inorganic, organic, and hybrid devices, with a special interest in renewable energy applications on flexible and stretchable substrates. He holds a PhD in Experimental Solid State Physics.

Masayuki Yokota has more than 26 years’ professional experience in urban and regional planning, urban development, housing, land and property rights (HLP), disaster risk management and emergency response including 9 years’ experience in Japan and 17 years with the UN-Habitat in challenging and/or crisis-affected field environment including Kosovo, Kuwait, Iraq, Libya, Occupied Palestinian Territory, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Sudan. Masayuki is assigned to the Head of Sub Regional Office for Southern Africa under the UN-Habitat Regional Office for Africa and covering 10 countries including Zambia.
Masayuki also represented UN-Habitat HQ as a Sector Leader of Housing and Land in the Post-Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) team in Moldova to respond the flood and in Cape Verde for the volcano eruption. He owns Ph.D. of Engineering (urban and regional planning/disaster risk management), Chartered Town Planner of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) in the U.K. and the First Class Architect in Japan.

Rainer Frauenfeld is the Director of the UNOPS, Kenya Multi-Country Office (KEMC) covering East and Southern Africa. He established and led multiple UNOPS emergency and recovery operations in post/conflict and disaster situations. He managed several country and regional offices to provide UNOPS value adding services both in fragile and MIC settings. Prior to joining UNOPS, Rainer worked with multiple UN agencies and missions, NGOs and the private sector. He holds degrees in Law and Development Studies, is married and has two children.

Mr. Seth Broekman assumed his role as UNFPA Country Representative on 11 January 2023.
He brings over 20 years of extensive experience in international development, public health and strategic programme management. Seth comes to Zambia from the Sub-Regional Office for the Caribbean where he, as the Deputy Director, led UNFPA strategic programme planning and implementation in 22 Small Island Developing States.
Before joining the Sub-Regional Office, Seth worked for the UNFPA East and Southern Africa Regional Office where he provided oversight and quality assurance support to 21 Country Offices and UN Country Teams as well as the Regional Office on strategic planning, programme management and UN Reform. He furthermore established and led the UNFPA Office for Northern Nigeria; worked for the ILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific as the UN Reform Advisor; and was the M&E technical lead for UNFPA Afghanistan and UNFPA Nepal.
Prior to joining the United Nations, Seth worked in Uganda for an NGO that offers medical and psychosocial services to people living with HIV; and for a large health insurance provider in the Netherlands.
Seth is a national of the Netherlands and holds a Master’s Degree in Health Sciences from Maastricht University with specializations in Health Care Studies, and Health Policy and Administration.

Suze Percy Filippini was FAOR in the Republic of Congo before assuming the same position in Zambia. Having more than 25 years of multi-cultural leadership experience, Percy earlier held various prestigious positions under Government portfolios and represented her Country to the FAO in Rome, the UN in New York and the Organization of the American States (OAS) in Washington DC, enriching her professional experience in diplomacy, sustainable agriculture, strategic planning and programming. Percy Filippini holds Three (3) Master’s degree qualifications in International Service, Arts in Hemispheric Security and Defense, and in Science in Agricultural Engineering.

Mr. Wellington Chibebe – the ILO Country Director for Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique is a Zimbabwean national.
He joined the International Labour Organization (ILO) in 2018 as Director of the ILO Country Office for the United Republic of Tanzania, Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda.
Between 2011 and 2017 he held the post of Deputy General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) in Brussels, Belgium. During his tenure, he was in-charge of development cooperation and education, oversight of the legal department, relations with Commonwealth and Francophone countries.
He was also charged with the responsibility of dealing with general ITUC administration/ management of the solidarity fund, as well as political responsibility for the Africa region, TUAC and GPEDC/UN and ILO desk.
Prior to that post, he was Secretary General of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU). Mr. Chibebe began his career in his country’s national railways, quickly becoming involved in the trade union movement, including as Secretary-General of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions, thereby acquiring extensive experience in social dialogue, human rights, and first-hand knowledge of the most relevant world of work issues in the Africa region, coupled with his personal qualities.
From 1988 to 2001, Mr. Chibebe worked as Diesel Plant Fitter/ Mechanical Engineering Technician at National Railways of Zimbabwe, where his union activism started from after being elected as President of the Railway Artisan Union from 1990 to 2000.
Currently, he is pursing Master of Laws in Labour Law University of South Africa, South Africa upon completing Bachelor of Laws from the same University.