UN chief appoints Finland’s Pekka Haavisto as new envoy for Sudan

February 24, 2026 (UNITED NATIONS) – United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Tuesday appointed Pekka Haavisto of Finland as his new personal envoy for Sudan, according to a statement from the world body.

Haavisto, a veteran diplomat with extensive experience in the Horn of Africa, succeeds Ramtane Lamamra of Algeria. Guterres expressed his gratitude to Lamamra for his dedication and commitment to peace efforts in the conflict-torn nation.

The new envoy brings more than 40 years of experience in international affairs and politics. He served as Finland’s foreign minister from 2019 to 2023 and is currently a member of the Finnish parliament. His career includes multiple ministerial roles covering development cooperation, state ownership and the environment.

Haavisto is no stranger to the Sudanese peace process. Between 2005 and 2007, he served as the European Union’s special representative for Sudan and was a senior advisor to the United Nations during the Darfur peace negotiations. He also served as the special representative to the Finnish foreign minister for mediation and crisis management in Africa from 2009 to 2017.

His background with the United Nations includes work with the U.N. Environment Programme between 1999 and 2005, during which he focused on several conflict and post-conflict zones, including Afghanistan, Iraq and Sudan.

The appointment comes as the international community continues to seek a diplomatic breakthrough to end the ongoing violence in Sudan. Haavisto, who is fluent in Finnish, Swedish and English, is expected to leverage his prior mediation experience in the region to revitalize peace talks.