NY, Oct. 2 (GHP) -- Ghana has replaced France as the Security Council President for the month of October. Ambassador Leslie Kojo Christian, Ghana's Permanent Representative and the new Council President, will hold bilateral consultations with other Council members on the programme of work for the month.

During Monday's closed-door session, chaired by Christian, on the attacks on the African Union Mission in Sudan no agreement could be reached on a formal statement and it was decided to continue the discussions Tuesday.

"The recent attack... was condemned," Christian said. "There was a demand that no effort should be spared so the perpetrators are brought to justice."

Ambassador Leslie Kojo Christian

Prior to his current appointment, Mr. Christian was Ghana’s Deputy Permanent Representative, a post he held previously between 1997 and 2001, having served earlier in the same period as Counsellor and Head of Chancery.

In more than 30 years of Government service since starting as a Foreign Service Officer in 1975, Mr. Christian was Supervising Director of the Foreign Ministry’s Political and Economic Department between 2003 and 2006, and Director of the Africa and Organization of African Unity (OAU) Bureau from 2001 to 2002.

Mr. Christian was Acting Director of the Ministry’s Finance and Accounts Bureau from 1995 to 1997 and Deputy Chief of Protocol from 1994 to 1995, having served as Counsellor/Head of Chancery, and later Minister Counsellor at Ghana’s Embassy in Rome from 1990 to 1994.

He worked as a Desk Officer in the Africa and OAU Bureau from 1989 to 1990, having previously held similar positions in the Finance and Accounts Division (April to June 1989), the Protocol Division (1986 to 1989) and the Africa Division (1975 to 1976). Between 1977 and 1981 he worked in the International Organizations and Conferences Bureau. His first overseas posting was as First Secretary at Ghana’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in Geneva (1981 to 1986).

An honours graduate of the University of Ghana, Legon (Bachelor of Arts), Mr. Christian went on to earn a graduate diploma in international affairs from the same institution and is a United Nations Fellow (Disarmament).

Born in 1951 in London, Mr. Christian is married and has three children.