VIENNA, Austria — Kenya’s Monica Juma has officially assumed office as Director-General of the United Nations Office at Vienna and Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, following her appointment by UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
Juma took office on Monday, becoming one of the highest-ranking Kenyan officials within the United Nations system at a time of growing global concern over organised crime, terrorism, corruption, and illicit trafficking.
“I am incredibly proud and honoured to be leading these two offices in Vienna at a critical time for multilateralism,” Juma said in a statement released by the UN Information Service.
“I look forward to contributing my experience in the defence, security and diplomatic fields to the efforts of the UN in tackling some of today’s most pressing challenges to peace and security, including drugs, organized crime, corruption and terrorism.”
Before joining the UN role, Juma served as Kenya’s first National Security Adviser and Secretary to the National Security Council from 2022 to 2026 under President William Ruto.
She previously held several senior Cabinet positions in Kenya, including Cabinet Secretary for Defence, Foreign Affairs, and Energy, while also serving in an acting capacity at the Ministry of Petroleum and Mining.
Juma has also represented Kenya diplomatically at continental and regional levels.
Between 2010 and 2013, she served as Kenya’s ambassador to Ethiopia and Djibouti, while also acting as Permanent Representative to the African Union, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa.
Her appointment places Kenya in a significant position within global diplomacy and international security governance, particularly at a time when the UN continues confronting rising transnational threats linked to narcotics trafficking, cybercrime, terrorism financing, and organised criminal networks.
The UN Office on Drugs and Crime plays a central role in supporting member states on anti-corruption initiatives, counterterrorism efforts, criminal justice reforms, and international cooperation against organised crime.
Juma holds a PhD in Politics and a Certificate in Refugee Studies from the University of Oxford, alongside a Master’s and Bachelor’s degree in Government and Public Administration from the University of Nairobi.
She speaks English, Kiswahili, and Kamba.
