UN appoints Ulrika Richardson as Deputy Special Representative for Libya

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has appointed Ingeborg Ulrika Ulfsdotter Richardson of Sweden as Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), as well as UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in the country.

Richardson brings over three decades of experience in development, humanitarian aid, post-conflict recovery, and human rights, having served across West and Central Africa, the Caribbean, the Western Balkans, and Southeast Europe. She most recently held the same positions in Haiti and previously served as UN Resident Coordinator in Kosovo.

She succeeds Zimbabwean diplomats Raisedon Zenenga and Innocent Chuma, whom Guterres thanked for their dedicated interim leadership.

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

In her new role, Richardson will work closely with Special Representative Hanna Tetteh, appointed in January 2025, to advance Libya’s political process, coordinate humanitarian and development efforts, and support peace and stability initiatives across the country.