Michel Sidibé

Michel Sidibé is the Executive Director of UNAIDS, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS. UNAIDS brings together the efforts and resources of the UNAIDS Secretariat and ten UN system organizations in the AIDS response. The Secretariat headquarters is in Geneva, Switzerland—with staff on the ground in more than 80 countries. UNAIDS’ Cosponsors include UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank. Mr Sidibé’s appointment was effective 1 January 2009, with the rank of Under Secretary-General of the United Nations.

Before joining UNAIDS, Mr Sidibé spent more than 25 years in public service. Mr Sidibé began his career in global health and development when he became concerned with the health and welfare of the nomadic Tuareg people in the Timbuktu region of his native Mali. These efforts evolved into a role as country director for the international development federation Terre des Hommes.
In 1987, Mr Sidibé joined UNICEF in the Democratic Republic of Congo. In his 14 years at UNICEF he oversaw programmes across ten francophone countries in Africa. He also served as UNICEF Country Representative in several African countries including Swaziland, Burundi, and Uganda.

Mr Sidibé became the Director of Country and Regional support department for UNAIDS in 2001. In 2007, he was appointed as UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director of Programmes and Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations. In this capacity, he led UNAIDS’ contributions to regional and country responses as well as UNAIDS efforts in global policies, evidence, and monitoring and evaluation.

Mr Sidibé earned two Post-Master’s Diplomas in Social Planning and Demography as well as in Development and Political Economy from the University of Clermont. He also holds a Master’s degree in economics.

In 2007, Mr Sidibé was awarded an honorary professorship at Stellenbosch University of South Africa. In 2009 he was awarded the Order of Saint Charles by His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco and in 2010 given the title of Knight of the National Order of the Legion of Honour (Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur) by France.

Born in 1952, Mr Sidibé is a citizen of Mali. He is fluent in English and French. He also speaks several African languages including Bambara, Mandingo, and Dioula.

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