Monica Juma takes on two new roles: What will her responsibilities be?

On March 6, 2026, the United Nations Secretary-General, Mr. António Guterres, announced the appointment of Monica Juma as the new Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

At the same time, she was also appointed as the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Vienna (UNOV).

She replaces Ghada Fathi Waly of Egypt in both capacities.

This appointment marks a new journey for the Kenyan diplomat, who is one of Kenya’s most experienced security and foreign affairs experts.

Previously, Juma was serving as the National Security Adviser to the President of the Republic of Kenya and as the Secretary to the National Security Council, posts she had been holding since October 2022.

As the new Executive Director of UNODC, Juma will lead the global mandate to support member states in their fight against illicit drugs, transnational organised crime, and terrorism.

This position makes her key to overseeing the implementation of global policies on these issues, as outlined in the three United Nations Drug Conventions and the United Nations Convention Against Corruption.

Her main duties will include:

• Overseeing the execution of global programs that seek to prevent drug abuse and rehabilitate drug abusers.

• Coordinating global efforts aimed at dismantling human trafficking rings and migrant smuggling rings.

• Overseeing the UN’s response to money laundering and terrorism financing.

• Offering technical support to governments to improve their criminal justice systems and legal frameworks to combat corruption.

The UNODC works in all regions of the globe through a wide network of field offices.

Juma’s role will involve overseeing these operations to align with the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, particularly in promoting peaceful and inclusive societies.

In her second role as Director-General of UNOV, Juma becomes the representative of the UN’s Secretary-General.

This role is a diplomatic and administrative leadership position that involves overseeing the UN’s presence in Vienna, Austria.

Her duties include offering administrative support and common services to various UN offices located in Vienna International Centre.

These include the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).

Her role involves facilitating top-level diplomatic interactions and overseeing one of the four major UN headquarters in the world.

Monica Juma possesses over three decades of experience in strategic management, public policy, and international affairs.

Before she was appointed National Security Adviser, she held various key Cabinet positions in Kenya.

Some of these include Cabinet Secretary, Energy and Petroleum, from 2021 to 2022, Cabinet Secretary, Defence, from 2020 to 2021, and Cabinet Secretary, Foreign Affairs, from 2018 to 2020.

Her career journey is also remarkable due to her holding key positions in Kenya’s security triangle, having been Principal Secretary in Kenya’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government, and Ministry of Defence.

Additionally, Juma also possesses extensive experience in diplomacy, having been Kenya’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Ethiopia and Djibouti.

During this appointment, she was also Kenya’s Permanent Representative to the African Union, Inter-Governmental Authority on Development, and United Nations Economic Commission for Africa.

On the academic side, Juma holds a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.

Juma also obtained her Master of Arts and Bachelor of Arts in Government and Public Administration from the University of Nairobi.