Our team in Malawi

Ms. Anim Ngu-Muthi is the Security Adviser for the United Nations in Malawi. She started her mission in Malawi in September 2019 and has over 17 years of experience in security risk management. Ms Ngu-Muthi joined UNDSS in 2010 and has worked in several countries in different capacities. She has served in Rwanda as the Deputy Security Adviser, in the CAR and Nigeria as Field Security Coordinator. Before joining the UN Country Team in Malawi, she worked for the Special Envoy of the Secretary General on Conflict Prevention to Burundi as the Chief Security Officer. Anim has a Master’s in Project Management from the University of Aberdeen, UK, a Master’s in Pharmacology from the University of Bradford, UK and a Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry from the University of Wales, Cardiff, UK.

Benoit Thiry is the World Food Programme (WFP) Representative for Malawi. He started his mission in September 2017. Previously, he spent four years as Country Director for WFP in Niger. He first joined WFP as the Head of Programme in Burundi and has worked with WFP for 25 years now! Before joining the UN, he worked in the field of automatics, first in Belgium and subsequently in Burundi, as an advisor for the Belgian Development Cooperation. Benoit holds a Master’s in Engineering from ISICH Mons, Belgium.

Clara Anyangwe is the UN Women Representative for Malawi. She started her mission in April 2016. Prior to joining the Malawi team, she was the Representative ad interim for the UN Women Rwanda Country Office, as well as the Deputy Representative. She started out in Rwanda as the One UN Programme Manager and was appointed Chair of the Programme Planning and Oversight Committee (PPOC). Previous experiences include working as the National Programme Officer for UNIFEM in Cameroon and conducting trainings on gender-based violence for peacekeeping missions. Clara holds a Master in Agricultural Economics from University of Ibadan, Nigeria.

Fatima Mohammed-Cole is the UNHCR Representative for Malawi. She started her mission on 15 January 2020. Fatima has 22 years experience with UNHCR working in over 10 countries and in different capacities, including several managerial positions. Prior to joining UNHCR Malawi she was Representative for UNHCR Liberia. She specializes in legal protection, policy and emergency response. Fatima is a trained lawyer with an LLM from the University of Maiduguri in Nigeria and a Barrister at Law from the Nigerian Law School in Lagos.

Mpilo Nkomo is the Chief of Mission for the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Mission to Malawi. He started his mission as Project Coordinator / Head of Office in February 2016. Before joining the IOM Team in Malawi, he was the Head of Sub-Office at the IOM Sub-Office in Musina, South Africa. Mpilo holds a Bachelor’s in Public Administration and Communication Facilitation from the University of South Africa (UNISA) and a Postgraduate Diploma in Disaster Management from the University of the Free State (UFS), South Africa.

Nonhlanhla Rose Dlamini is the WHO Representative for Malawi. She started her mission in July 2019. Before joining WHO, she worked at the National Department of Health in South Africa as the Chief Director for Child, Youth and School Health. Prior to this, she was the National Director for HIV Prevention Strategies. Her experience is centred around policy formulation, programme design, and implementation of major public health programmes. Dr. Dlamini is a registered Medical Doctor and holds a Master’s in Medicine, as well as a Master’s in Public Health.

Nuha Ceesay, a Health Planner by profession is the current UNAIDS Acting Country Director for Malawi. He was deployed to Malawi in 2019. He joined UNAIDS in 2007 as Country Officer for the Gambia and opened the UNAIDS office before taking up international duties as Investment and Efficiency Adviser for Swaziland and currently PEPFAR/Global Fund Implementation Adviser for Zambia. He holds a Master’s in Health Management, Planning and Policy, from the Nuffield Institute, University of Leeds.

Rudolf Schwenk is the UNICEF Representative for Malawi. He started his mission in August 2019. After working with NGOs in Germany, he joined the United Nations in 1995 and worked with UNRWA in Jordan and with UNICEF in Niger, India, Denmark and Bhutan. He has worked in various programme functions as well as in operations, and has achieved sustainable results for children in Field Office, Country Office and Headquarters locations. Prior to his arrival in Malawi in August 2019, he was the UNICEF Representative in Bhutan. Mr. Schwenk holds a Master’s in Modern Middle East, Political Science and History from the Free University of Berlin.

Shigeki Komatsubara is the UNDP Resident Representative for Malawi. He started his mission in May 2019. Prior to his current assignment, he was Tokyo International Conference of African Development (TICAD) programme advisor in the UNDP Regional Bureau for Africa (RBA). He also regularly served as RBA officer-in-charge. Shigeki has also been Deputy Resident Representative in Ghana and Country Programme Advisor in the Regional Bureau for Africa. Shigeki holds a Master’s in International Relations from London School of Economics (LSE) and a Bachelor’s in International Relations from Tokyo University of Foreign Studies.

Won Young Hong is the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Representative for Malawi. She started her mission in August 2018. She has over 16 years of experience in international and local development, as well as policy analysis, youth programming, and capacity development. Previously, she served as UNFPA Deputy Representative in Mozambique and the Assistant Country Director for UNDP in Bangladesh, as well as the Capacity Development Advisor for UNDP in South Africa. Young holds a Master’s in Political Science from Kyung Hee University, an MPA in Public Administration from National University of Singapore, and a Bachelor of Law from Ewha Woman’s University in Seoul, Republic of Korea.

Zhijun Chen is the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Representative for Malawi. He started his mission in May 2019. He has worked for FAO for about 15 years, serving in different capacities such as Irrigation and Rural Infrastructure Engineer at FAO Headquarters in Rome, Senior Irrigation and Rural Infrastructure Engineer and Investment Support Officer in Thailand. He joined the UN as the Irrigation and Water Management Officer at the UN Peace-Keeping Department in Timor-Leste in 2000. Zhijun holds a PhD in Farmland Water Conservancy, a Master in Fluid Machinery and Fluid Power Engineering, as well as a Bachelor in Irrigation and Drainage, from Wuhan University, China.