Hama Arba Diallo

Mr Hama Arba Diallo was the first Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (1993 to 2007). Mr Diallo was born on 23 March 1939 in Dori, a town in northeastern Burkina Faso. He was a leading negotiator in the UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) process.  He served as the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the UNCED from 1990 to 1992. Prior to this, he served 24 years as a top official in the state and foreign ministries of Burkina Faso - as Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1983 and as Ambassador of Burkina Faso to China, India and Japan between 1988-89. He was the Director of the UN Sudano-Sahelian Office (1979-1983). After he left the UNCCD in 2007, he served his country as a National Assembly parliamentarian and Mayor of Dori.