Rwandan National Claver Gatete Appointed ECA Executive Secretary
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres made a significant announcement on Friday, appointing Claver Gatete of Rwanda as the incoming Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).
This appointment comes as a transition from the commendable tenure of Vera Songwe of Cameroon, the former Executive Secretary, and Antonio M. A. Pedro of Mozambique, who has been diligently serving as the Acting Executive Secretary. The Secretary-General expressed his gratitude to both Ms. Songwe and Mr. Pedro for their dedicated service.
Mr. Gatete currently serves as the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Republic of Rwanda to the United Nations in New York. As an accomplished economist, he brings a wealth of strategic leadership experience, complemented by a deep understanding of the political and financial dynamics across the African continent. His distinguished career has seen him hold several pivotal government positions, most recently as the Minister of Infrastructure from 2018 to 2022 and as the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning from 2013 to 2018.
In the financial sector, Mr. Gatete has notably served as the Governor (2011-2013) and Deputy Governor (2009-2011) of the National Bank of Rwanda, the country’s central bank. Additionally, he held the esteemed role of Secretary General and Secretary to the Treasury at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning in Rwanda from 2003 to 2005. During this period, he was entrusted with the crucial position of Director General for Economic and Social Affairs in the Office of the President of Rwanda from 2000 to 2003. In this capacity, he represented the President in significant roles such as the New Partnership for Africa’s Development and as Coordinator of the National African Peer Review Mechanism.
Mr. Gatete embarked on his diplomatic career in 2005, serving as Rwanda’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Iceland, stationed in London until 2009. Prior to this, he held the role of National Economist at the United Nations Development Programme in Kigali from 1998 to 2000. His extensive experience also includes positions as an Economist at Agriculture and Agri-Food and at Statistics Canada in Ottawa, Canada, from 1993 to 1997.
Educated at the University of British Columbia in Canada, Mr. Gatete holds both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in agricultural economics. He is proficient in English and possesses a working knowledge of French.
Mr. Antonio Pedro extends warm congratulations to Mr. Gatete on his appointment as the Executive Secretary of ECA. He also expresses his appreciation to the UN Secretary-General for entrusting him with the role of acting Executive Secretary for the past year. Mr. Pedro and the entire ECA staff eagerly anticipate the arrival of Mr. Gatete and look forward to collaborating with him as he assumes his new position.