United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has announced the appointment of Major General Anita Asmah of Ghana as the Head of Mission and Force Commander of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF).

Major General Asmah succeeds Lieutenant General Nirmal Kumar Thapa of Nepal, whose assignment will conclude in mid-December 2024.

A statement issued on Wednesday in New York noted, “Major General Asmah brings to the position 31 years of leadership and command experience in the Ghana Armed Forces and United Nations peacekeeping.”

Before her appointment, Major General Asmah served as the Director General of the Department of Defence Civilian Establishment in the Ghana Armed Forces.

She was previously the Deputy Force Commander of UNDOF, from 2021 to 2023.

She also served as a Staff Officer in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) from 2015 to 2016, and from 2012 to 2013.

The Major General was a Military Observer in the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) between 2003 and 2004.

In addition to her international experience, Major General Asmah has held several senior positions within the Ghana Armed Forces, including Director of Education, Deputy Military Secretary, and Course Director at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre.

She holds Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws degrees from the University of Ghana and is fluent in both English and French.