Winnie Byanyima Appointed IIED Board Chair as UN Tenure Concludes

Renowned Ugandan diplomat and UNAIDS Executive Director, Ms Winnie Byanyima, is set to take on a prestigious new global role. She has been appointed as the chair of the board of trustees for the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), effective January 2027.

Ms Byanyima will take over from the current board chair, Paul George, whose successful tenure concludes at the end of December 2026. The appointment arrives as her current mandate leading UNAIDS as a UN Under-Secretary-General comes to a close.

Headquartered in the United Kingdom, the IIED is a prominent independent policy and research organization focused on addressing climate change, biodiversity loss, and global systemic inequality. Institute leaders, including IIED Executive Director Tom Mitchell, lauded Byanyima’s extensive track record in advocating for social justice and driving multilateral action.

Expressing her enthusiasm for the new post, Ms Byanyima highlighted the strong links connecting global health, environmental degradation, and poverty. She stressed that lasting global change relies heavily on collaborative partnerships involving local communities, civil society, and policymakers alike.

Outgoing chair Paul George praised his successor, describing her as an exceptional leader deeply committed to the mission of the institute. Prior to this role, Byanyima’s illustrious career included serving in the Ugandan Parliament, directing Oxfam International, and holding key advisory positions within major global platforms.

Read the original story on the Daily Monitor.