Elizabeth Maruma Mrema Takes up New Assignment in Nairobi

Bonn, 6 January 2012 - CMS Executive Secretary and ASCOBANS Acting Executive Secretary Ms Elizabeth Maruma Mrema has been appointed Deputy Director of the Division of Environmental Policy Implementation (DEPI) at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) as of 9 January. Ms Mrema joined the UNEP/CMS Secretariat as Officer in Charge in July 2009. At the end of the same year, UNEP Executive Director, Mr Achim Steiner appointed her as the new Executive Secretary of the UNEP/CMS Secretariat.

Her longstanding expertise as a senior environmental lawyer at UNEP with a particular focus on international environmental law, compliance and enforcement of environmental conventions proved to be a huge asset in leading the CMS Secretariat. Building on her work at the UNEP/Division of Environmental Law and Conventions (DELC) with a focus on Multilateral Environmental Agreements Support and Cooperation and later as the Head of the Biodiversity, Law and Governance Branch, Ms Mrema succeeded in shaping CMS as a lead partner of other biodiversity related Conventions.

At both the 38th meeting of the CMS Standing Committee and the 10th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties in Bergen Norway in November, 2011, Ms Elizabeth Maruma Mrema informed the Parties of her intention to step down from the position of UNEP/CMS Executive Secretary so as to take up new functions at the Headquarters.

In a memorandum soon after, UNEP Deputy Executive Director, Ms Amina Mohamed appointed Ms Elizabeth Maruma Mrema to continue to manage the UNEP/CMS Secretariat from Nairobi, in an acting capacity, together with her new functions until her successor is recruited. This arrangement will apply equally to the management of the ASCOBANS Secretariat and the Gorilla Agreement Interim Secretariat for which she has been serving as the Acting Executive Secretary. The Deputy Executive Secretary of UNEP/CMS Secretariat, Mr Bert Lenten, will manage day-to-day operations of the Secretariat in addition to his regular responsibilities.

In line with Resolution 10.29 adopted by the CMS Parties at their November Meetings, this interim arrangement will ensure continuity of the management of the Secretariat after the departure of the UNEP/CMS Executive Secretary to take up her new assignment at UNEP Headquarters.

The UNEP/CMS Secretariat wishes Ms Mrema all the best for her new responsibilities while continuing to manage the Secretariat from a distance.

Last updated on 25 March 2014

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