African Lieutenant Appointed Miltary Commander To United Nations

Lieutenant General Traoré has had a distinguished career since joining the Army of Burkina Faso in 1977

New York – United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres today announced the appointment of Lieutenant General Daniel Sidiki Traoré of Burkina Faso as the Force Commander of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA).

Lieutenant General Traoré succeeds Lieutenant General Balla Keita of Senegal, who will complete his assignment on 29 February 2020.  The Secretary-General is grateful for his tireless dedication, invaluable service and effective leadership.

He also previously served as Sector Commander in the United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) in Western Darfur, Mali and serval other African nations.

As the current Military Adviser to the Chief of General Defence Staff of Burkina Faso, Lieutenant General Traoré has had a distinguished career since joining the Army of Burkina Faso in 1977.  He also has extensive Peacekeeping experience, having recently served as Deputy Force Commander in MINUSCA in 2018.

As the new Commander, Mr. Traoré will be tasked with maintaining peace in a region that is highly unstable and consumed by poverty. The United Nation’s choice to choose someone from Burkina Faso has been seen as a smart choice by its members. They see Mr. Traoré as a bridge-builder and someone that brings experience and pragmatism to the position.