Our Team in Eritrea

Ms. Valji has more than 25 years of experience in sustainable development, peace and security, gender, and human rights in the United Nations and civil society, with expertise in leading institutional reform processes and start-up initiatives, including two UN funds and a Security Council mechanism on women, peace and security.

Prior to this appointment, she served as the Global Coordinator of the Spotlight Initiative to Eliminate Violence against Women and Girls, a 500 million euro flagship programme for the Sustainable Development Goals, and as a Senior Adviser in the Executive Office of the UN Secretary-General.

Before that, Ms. Valji was the Acting Chief/ Deputy of the Peace and Security Section of UN Women where she led the organization’s work on peacekeeping, peace negotiations and the rule of law, and focused on country programming support and policy analysis and development. In 2015, she headed the Secretariat for the Global Study on the implementation of UN Security Council resolution 1325, a comprehensive review requested by the Security Council on women, peace and security.

Before the UN, Ms. Valji worked in South Africa on issues of development, human rights, and peacebuilding. During this time she led the Africa-wide work on transitional justice of the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation. This involved managing partnerships with civil society, academia, experts, governments and the African Union. She founded and was the managing editor of the International Journal of Transitional Justice, and is the co-editor of the Oxford Handbook on Gender and Conflict.

Ms. Valji has a Masters in Political Science and International Relations and a Joint Diploma in Forced Migration Studies from Canada’s York University.

Abdullahi assumed his current position as the UNICEF Country Representative in Eritrea in August 2023; he provides overall leadership, management, and implementation of UNICEF's programs in the country. He is very committed and passionate about promoting and advancing the rights and wellbeing of children. Previously, Abdullahi served as Chief Field Office in Peshawar, KPK, Pakistan, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan (November 2018 - June 2019), and Kandahar, Afghanistan (May 2015 - October 2018). In these roles, he demonstrated exceptional leadership, contributing to the success of UNICEF's programs in the respective regions.
Before joining UNICEF, Abdullahi held influential positions in renowned organizations. As Country Director for CARE International based in Nairobi, Kenya (June 2011 - April 2015), he provided strategic leadership for CARE's program in Somalia, focusing on disaster preparedness, mitigation, management, and development programming.
Earlier in his career, Abdullahi served as Country Director for Oxfam GB in Nairobi, Kenya (December 2007 - June 2011), overseeing the management, strategic development, and partnerships of Oxfam's program in Somalia. His responsibilities included disaster preparedness, mitigation, management, development programming, policy, and advocacy work.
Abdullahi Mohammed Yussuf, an Ethiopian national, is a seasoned humanitarian and development professional with over 25 years of experience, whose career has been marked by impactful leadership and dedication to improving the well-being of communities, particularly children.
Abdullahi holds a Master of Science in Poverty Reduction and International Development Management from the University of Birmingham, UK (2007), and a bachelor’s in business administration from Washington International University, USA (2003).

Caroline Mwongera is IFAD’s Country Director for Eritrea and South Sudan. She is an Agriculture and Climate Change Specialist with over 15 years of experience managing large-scale agricultural initiatives.

Previously, Mwongera worked at the Alliance of Bioversity International where she led research teams, developed integrated research agendas and supported the implementation of climate-resilient strategies in various countries.

Mwongera holds a a Ph.D. in integrated systems in Ecology, Agronomy, and Environment from Montpellier SupAgro, France.

Dr Mary Stephen is a seasoned global health leader and public health expert with over 20 years of experience across Africa, United Kingdom and the Eastern Mediterranean region. Her work spans strategic health leadership, health diplomacy, technical cooperation, health system strengthening and reform, advancing Universal Health Coverage (UHC), enhancing health security, and fostering strategic partnerships. She has extensive experience working with governments, international organizations, development partners, and diverse stakeholders to improve health outcomes. Throughout her career, Dr. Stephen has worked at the intersection of policy, diplomacy, and implementation, supporting governments and institutions to translate global and regional health commitments into effective national action and stronger, more resilient health systems.

Dr. Stephen has held several senior leadership roles within WHO, including Acting WHO Representative in Lesotho and Program Area Manager for health emergencies at the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean. She has provided strategic oversight and technical guidance to countries on health security and emergency preparedness and has contributed to major global and regional policy processes, including the amendment of the International Health Regulations (2005) and negotiations leading to the WHO Pandemic Agreement. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she co-chaired the African Union’s multisectoral task force on saving lives and livelihoods, providing strategic guidance on border health security and the safe reopening of economies across the continent. Her contributions have helped strengthen countries’ capacities to prevent, detect, and respond to public health emergencies while advancing resilient health systems.

An award-winning leader, Dr. Stephen is also an Honorary Associate Professor at the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom and a passionate mentor for women in global health. She holds a Medical Degree and a Master of Public Health (MPH) and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.

Ishaku Maitumbi is the Senior Advisor in the Regional Officer for Africa, UN-HABITAT covering Eastern and Horn of Africa Region. He is a chartered urban planner (MRTPI) with over 20 years' professional experience in the sector, including more than 12 years with the United Nations. He previously served in Somalia, Iraq, Kosovo, Ethiopia and Nigeria, amongst other places. Prior to joining the United Nations, he was a United Kingdom civil servant in local and regional/central government. Ishaku specialises in urbanization, displacement and local government systems strengthening, unban resilience, especially in post-conflict and developing environments. This varied experience is backed up with an MSc in Urban Planning and International Development (Oxford Brookes, UK).

Mr Akpovo is a Benin national. He is a Lawyer and an International Communications, Security and Defence Expert. He possesses 30 years of international experience as a Human Rights, Rule of Law, Conflict, Development, Peace and Security specialist. His extensive professional roles span across a broad range of thematic portfolios and Regions, where he served at senior management and leadership positions.

Ms. Margaret Oduk, an environment policy expert has been with UN Environment Programme for over 15 years in different capacities. Prior to her current post, she was UNEP’s Focal Point for global Biodiversity - Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) managing several high profile projects. Ms. Oduk is an Alumni of the United Nations University Institute of Advanced Studies. A Kenyan national, Ms. Oduk has a Masters and Ph. D in Resource and Environmental Management from the Australian National University in Canberra Australia.

Jyoti Shankar Tewari is a ‘Practice Leader’ with over twenty-five years of experience translating population, health and nutrition policies into practice. His interest lies in using sector support mechanisms and political-economy levers to facilitate and sustain reforms that accelerate progress towards Health for All. Currently, he works as the 'Representative' a.i./Office in Charge (OIC) of UNFPA Eritrea along with the ‘Coordinator’ of the integrated Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (iSRHR) team at the UNFPA regional office which supports twenty-three countries in East and Southern Africa. Prior to UNFPA, he worked for the UK Department for International Development (DFID/UKaid) and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) as a senior advisor and team leader in Ethiopia, Uganda, Zambia and India. Before joining the bilateral agencies, he worked with leading social and market research agencies in India including AC Nielsen. He holds master’s degrees in demography and statistics, and professional certificates in public policy, public health, nutrition, health systems, health communication and monitoring and evaluation.

Ms. Ariella Glinni is a senior international development professional with 30 years of experience in food security, sustainable agriculture, and natural resource management. She served for more than two decades with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), holding senior policy, technical, and leadership roles at country, regional, and global levels across development, resilience, and humanitarian contexts.

A national of Germany and Italy, Ms. Glinni assumed the role of FAO Representative in Eritrea in September 2025. Previously, she served as Secretary of the FAO Committee on Agriculture (COAG) and Senior Technical Officer in the Office of the Deputy Director-General at FAO headquarters, where she oversaw technical and Secretariat support to FAO Members and governing processes on global agricultural policy and related matters, and advised senior leadership on strategic initiatives across the agriculture and natural resources portfolio.

She was also Senior Policy Officer and Delivery Manager for the Regional Initiative on Improving Agri-food Trade and Market Integration at the FAO Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia in Budapest, Hungary, and served as Senior Policy Officer at the FAO Subregional Office for Central Asia in Ankara, Türkiye.

Earlier, Ms. Glinni was Senior Programme Advisor with the global Food Security Cluster, leading inter-agency coordination, partnerships, and resource mobilization. She has substantial experience in FAO emergency and resilience programmes, having headed the Food Chain Crisis Management Unit, managed emergency responses to animal and plant health challenges, and led resilience programmes across multiple regions.

Her experience also includes posts with the World Meteorological Organization in Geneva, Switzerland; the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre in Ispra, Italy; and work as a Tropical Agronomist in Bolivia.

Ms. Glinni holds an M.Sc. in Tropical and Subtropical Agricultural Sciences from the University of Florence and a postgraduate specialization in rural development from the University of Padua, Italy. She is fluent in German, Italian, English, French, and Spanish.

Eric Oechslin is a French economist holding a postgraduate certificate in mathematical economy and econometrics from the Pantheon-Assas University (Paris). Before joining the ILO, he had worked for more than 13 years as Senior Adviser for Europe at the International Organization of Employers (IOE) which is the largest business organization dealing with labour and social issues. He had, inter alia, managed two specific projects for the Western Balkans respectively on social dialogue and on employment. He was also the organizer of the IOE European Meeting which brings together, each year in a different country, national European employers’ organizations to discuss the main issues for business in Europe. He was also the IOE specialist on the administration, programme and finance of the ILO at its Governing Body and was also responsible for activities related to social security (including the social protection floor), human resources, and the fight against human trafficking and corruption. He was the IOE Sherpa for the G20 in France and participated in the G20 consultations and meetings on labour and employment issues.
In 2012, he joined the ILO as Senior Specialist for Employers’ Activities for the North African region. He has been in charge of providing technical and political support to employers’ organizations from 12 countries. Amongst the main achievements, human resources academies were established in Algeria, Egypt, Tunisia and, soon, in Morocco as well the assessments of several business associations to guide them towards more members-oriented approach. In April 2019, he was appointed Director of the ILO Decent Work Team for North Africa and the ILO Country Office for Egypt and Eritrea.

Mr. Pa Lamin Beyai (The Gambia) has been appointed as UNDP Resident Representative in the State of Eritrea.

Pa Lamin has over 29 years of technical, development management and leadership experience, including over 24 years in the United Nations System.
He has demonstrated experience working with governments and partners in different contexts and country settings. He has substantive skills in programming, Operations, strategic policy & economic advisory, strategic partnerships, capacity development, governance, public and natural resource management, environment and climate change.
Before this appointment, he served as UNDP Resident Representative, Sierra Leone (2021 - 2023), and Liberia (2019 - 2021). He also served as UNDP Country Director in Liberia (2017-2019), UNDP Country Director in the Federal Republic of Nigeria (2013-2017); Economic Advisor & Team Leader, Inclusive Growth Cluster at the UNDP Ghana from (2009-2013); Health Economist at WHO Inter-Country Support Team for Eastern and Southern Africa based in Zimbabwe; supporting 18 countries in Eastern and Southern Africa including Eritrea, in immunization programme planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and advising on Financial Sustainability of introducing new Vaccines in health systems; Health Economist at the World Health Organization (WHO) Office in The Gambia (1999 - 2006).

Before joining the UN, Pa Lamin held various positions of increasing responsibility at The Gambia Public Transport Corporation (GPTC) from (1994-1999), including as Senior Manager Administration & Human Resources (1997-1999), Manager Corporate Management Services (1995-1997), and Corporate Management Services Officer (1994-1995).

Pa Lamin holds a Ph.D. in Economics with a focus on Health Economics from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, University of London, United Kingdom; a Master of Science in Finance (Economic Policy) from the School of Oriental & African Studies (SOAS), University of London, United Kingdom; a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom; a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Economics from Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone; and a Postgraduate Diploma from Curtin University of Technology, Australia.


Pa Lamin took up his new assignment on 20 September 2023

Ms. Tally Einav has more than 15 years of experience in development and international organizations. She is passionate about the promise of inclusive and sustainable industrial development to countries well-being and the achievement of the global Agenda 2030. Starting in UNIDO in 2009, she worked in both technical cooperation and management of the organization. Among her other roles over the years, she led on UNIDO’s inquiry of its normative role as well on the coordination of the African Agribusiness and Agro-industries Development Initiative (3ADI) in UNIDO. She worked at the Executive Office of the Deputy to the Director General for many years and before moving to Kenya she worked in the External Relations leading on dialogues with Member States. She also served as the focal point for UNIDO’s work with civil societies.
She holds a Master’s Degree in Organizational Development and certification in Sustainable Development. She also holds degrees in Political Science and Communications.