United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has appointed Ghanaian humanitarian leader Edem Wosornu as the new Assistant High Commissioner for Protection at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
The appointment places Wosornu in one of the most senior protection positions within the UN system, where she will help oversee efforts to safeguard the rights and welfare of millions of refugees, asylum seekers, and displaced persons around the world.
She succeeds Ruvendrini Menikdiwela of Sri Lanka, whose contributions to refugee protection were commended by both the Secretary-General and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
Wosornu currently serves as Director of the Crisis Response Division at the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). In addition, she chairs the Inter-Agency Standing Committee Emergency Directors Group, which coordinates international responses to major humanitarian emergencies.
According to the United Nations, she brings more than 20 years of experience in humanitarian affairs, with extensive expertise in emergency response, operational leadership, and international coordination.
Her appointment marks a significant milestone in a distinguished career that began with an internship at UNHCR. Since then, she has held several senior leadership positions at OCHA headquarters and in field operations, contributing to humanitarian responses in some of the world’s most challenging crisis environments.
Before joining the United Nations system, Wosornu worked in the private legal sector in the United Kingdom, building a foundation that later supported her work in international humanitarian affairs.
Academically, she holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Hull and a Master of Laws in International Banking and Finance Law from University College London. She also earned a Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Studies from the College of Law in London.
In addition to her native English and Fante, Wosornu possesses a working knowledge of French, a valuable asset in humanitarian operations across several regions of Africa and beyond.
Her appointment comes at a time when global displacement levels remain at record highs, driven by armed conflicts, climate-related disasters, and complex humanitarian emergencies.
As Assistant High Commissioner for Protection, Wosornu will play a central role in shaping UNHCR’s protection policies and strengthening international efforts to support vulnerable populations forced to flee their homes.
Observers view her appointment as recognition of her extensive experience in humanitarian leadership, crisis management, and international coordination, as well as a reflection of Ghana’s growing contribution to leadership within the United Nations system.
