United Cities and Local Governments welcomes the decision of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to appoint Ms. Aisa Kirabo Kacyira, of the Republic of Rwanda, as new Deputy Executive Director and Assistant Secretary-General for UN-Habitat.
Ms. Kirabo has been involved within UCLG as Vice-President of UCLGA Eastern Africa and President of the Rwandese Association of Local Government Authorities (RALGA). She has been serving as Mayor of Kigali, one of the fastest urbanizing cities in the world, from 2006 to 2011.
Ms. Kirabo is currently the Governor of Eastern Province, the largest province in Rwanda with a population of 2.5 million. In recognition of the high level of cleanliness, greenness, safety and the sustainable, affordable housing initiatives combined with pro-poor urban employment opportunities, under Ms. Kirabo´s leadership, Kigali won the UN-HABITAT Scroll of Honour Award in 2008. Prior to her position as Mayor, Ms. Kirabo was an Elected Member of Parliament (and member of Parliamentary Standing Committee in charge of land use and management, settlement and environment), she actively participated in the legislative and over-sight functions of parliament in addition to community mobilization.
Ms. Kirabo brings to this position a broad knowledge and experience of over 15 years in senior management and strategic leadership in local and regional governments institutions.
In her new role, Ms. Kirabo will assist the Executive Director, Dr. Joan Clos, in the overall management of UN-HABITAT to achieve its mandate and will support the new UN-HABITAT agenda to face the urban challenges by strengthening urban policies to generate more equitable, wealthy and sustainable cities. Among her many important responsibilities, Ms. Kirabo will support Dr. Clos in advancing the key reviews currently underway at UN-HABITAT, including the review of UN-Habitat´s strategic priorities for the coming years leading to Habitat III in 2016.
UCLG trusts this will allow the agenda of local governments to move forward in preparation of Habitat III.