Ms. Diene Keita was appointed Executive Director of UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, today by UN Secretary-General António Guterres. She holds the rank of United Nations Under-Secretary-General.
Ms. Keita, a national of Guinea, is the Fund's sixth Executive Director. She has been serving as Acting Executive Director since 16 July 2025, and as UN Assistant Secretary-General and Deputy Executive Director (Programme) since August 2020.
A former Minister of Cooperation and African Integration for the Republic of Guinea, Ms. Keita has more than three decades of leadership experience in international development and public service. She has served as United Nations Resident Coordinator in Mauritania, Benin and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Within UNFPA, she has held senior leadership positions, including as Representative in Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, two of the organization's largest country programmes.
Ms. Keita began her United Nations career in 1990 with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Empowering women and youth, advancing gender equality, eliminating gender-based violence and contributing to sustainable human development have been cornerstones of her career.
"I am deeply honoured to lead UNFPA at this pivotal moment," Ms. Keita said. "In a world marked by rapid demographic shifts and uncertainty, UNFPA's work to uphold rights and choices and help countries navigate change is more essential than ever. By safeguarding sexual and reproductive health and rights, we not only save lives-we lay the foundation for healthier, more resilient, and more prosperous societies. When women and young people thrive, entire nations prosper."
Ms. Keita holds a doctorate in Law and advanced degrees in International Economics, Development Law and International Relations from the University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne. She is fluent in English, French and Italian.
Her appointment is for four years.
