UNEP Deputy Executive Director
Ibrahim Thiaw is UNEP Deputy Executive Director and Assistant-Secretary-General of the United Nations.Prior to his appointment as Deputy Executive Director Mr. Thiaw served as the Director of the Division of Environmental Policy Implementation (DEPI). As Director for DEPI, Mr. Thiaw was responsible for conceptualizing and managing UNEP’s activities in two of its core thematic areas of focus – ecosystem management and services and conflicts and disasters. He also managed the adaptation component of UNEP’s climate change sub-theme.Before joining UNEP in 2007, Mr. Thiaw worked as the IUCN Regional Director for West Africa and later as the Acting Director-General of IUCN. With more than 30 years of experience in the field of natural resource management at the national, regional and international levels, Mr. Thiaw’s specific contributions have been in the successful development and implementation of large scale environmental programmes and projects. Mr.Thiaw started his career with the Ministry of Rural Development of Mauritania and holds an advanced degree in Forestry and Forest product techniques.
