Geneva – Unitaid is pleased to welcome Tenu Avafia as its Deputy Executive Director. Tenu brings over 20 years of professional and managerial experience in public health, human rights inclusive development and trade-related matters across country, regional and global settings. He has overseen the implementation of health programmes in developing and least developed country contexts and has worked closely with a broad range of partners including United Nations (UN) member states, civil society, private sector, and multilateral institutions.

Selected through a competitive recruitment process, Tenu will help lead and oversee management of the Unitaid Secretariat, representing the Executive Director as needed in his capacity as Deputy Executive Director.

Tenu joins Unitaid from the UN Secretariat, where he served as the Head of the Resident Coordinator’s Office in Zimbabwe. In this role, he supported the coordination of the UN Country Team comprising of 25 entities that collectively delivered more than US$ 750 million in development cooperation and humanitarian assistance in 2020.

Prior to joining the UN Secretariat, he led a team at the UN Development Programme (UNDP) focusing on HIV, public health, human rights, and key populations, as well as health technology innovation and access issues. Tenu was actively engaged in managing some of UNDP’s key global health partnerships and led the organization’s work on antimicrobial resistance and drug policy.

A Namibian national, Tenu holds Bachelors’ degrees in jurisprudence and law from the University of Namibia, a Master’s degree in international trade law from Stellenbosch University, and a PhD in intellectual property law from Queen Mary University of London.

Media contact:

For more information and media requests:

Hervé Verhoosel

Mobile: +44 77 29 618 634

Email: verhooselh@unitaid.who.int