United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and African Union Commission Chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma announced on 17 September 2014 the appointment of Abiodun Oluremi Bashua of Nigeria as Deputy Joint Special Representative for the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID).

Mr. Bashua brings to the position a wealth of knowledge on the political context and operating environment in Darfur. He has served in UNAMID since August 2009 at various senior levels, including as Director of Political Affairs and most recently as Director of the Joint Support and Coordination Mechanism. Mr. Bashua has extensive experience in several United Nations Peacekeeping operations in Africa, including Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Sudan. He has also served as Secretary to the Conference of Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Mr. Bashua holds a Postgraduate Diploma in French Language from the University of Besancon, France and a Bachelor of Science Honours Degree in Sociology from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria.

Mr. Bashua was born in Ibadan, Nigeria, in 1951.