Swedish diplomat Richardson takes up senior UN post in Libya

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has announced the appointment of Swedish diplomat Ingeborg Ulrika Ulfsdotter Richardson as the new Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Libya. She will also serve as the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in the country.

Richardson succeeds Zimbabwean diplomat Georgette Gagnon in the role of Deputy Special Representative, and Innocent Chuma as Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator.

With over 30 years of international experience, Richardson has worked in development, humanitarian relief, post-conflict recovery, and human rights. Her career has taken her to West and Central Africa, the Caribbean, the Western Balkans, and Southeast Europe, where she has held several senior positions in the United Nations system.

Most recently, she served in Haiti as Deputy Special Representative, UN Resident, and Humanitarian Coordinator since 2022. She also worked as the UN Resident Coordinator in Kosovo.

Richardson holds a Master’s degree in Development Economics from the University of Gothenburg and a Bachelor’s in Social Sciences from Lund University in Sweden. She speaks Swedish, English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish fluently.

The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) works to help the country’s authorities promote political dialogue, support national reconciliation, protect human rights, and coordinate humanitarian aid.

In her new role, Richardson will work closely with the UN’s Special Representative to support Libya’s political process, strengthen institutions, and coordinate international humanitarian and development efforts across the country.

This appointment comes at a time when Libya continues to face political, economic, and security challenges, making the UN’s work — and Richardson’s leadership — an important factor in supporting stability and development for all who live in Libya.