UNMIS LEADERSHIP
Manuel Aranda da Silva
Humanitarian Deputy Special Representative to the Secretary-General

Manuel Aranda da Silva has been serving as the Deputy Special Representative to the Secretary-General since August 2004, responsible for the humanitarian aspects of the UN mission in Sudan including Demobilisation, Disarmament and Reintegration of ex-combatants, Returns and Resettlement of Displaced Persons, Protection issues, Mine Action and general Humanitarian Coordination. In addition to his post as the DSRSG for humanitarian affairs, Mr. da Silva is also the UN Humanitarian Coordinator and Resident Coordinator for Sudan, leading the UN Country Team on humanitarian coordination and development issues.


He has had a long career with the United Nations - much of it dedicated to Africa. He has worked for the UN World Food Programme in Sudan, Senegal, Rome and China. He was the first ever Humanitarian Coordinator (HC) in Angola during the country's civil war and ensuing humanitarian crisis, eventually taking on the role of UN Resident Coordinator and Resident Representative of UNDP. He was the Director of the Division on Complex Disasters in UN headquarters in NY, Department of Humanitarian Affairs. He has also served as the HC for the Horn of Africa, coordinating the humanitarian response to the drought of 2000.

Prior to joining the UN, Mr. da Silva was the Minister of Trade his native country, Mozambique, and held several other government posts including in the Ministry of Interior and Natural Disaster Prevention Commission. Educated in Portugal and France in economics, Mr. da Silva was an activist in the Mozambican liberation movement.

Manuel Aranda da Silva was born on 26 June 1951. He is married to Ana de Carvalho, a demographer, and has 1 son and 2 daughters.

TOP