By: Nana
Appiah Acquaye
Senegal’s Ibrahima Nour
Eddine Diagne, Chief Executive Officer of GAINDE 2000, has been elected Chair
of the United Nations Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business
(UN/CEFACT) for the 2026–2029 term, becoming the first representative of the
Global South to lead the United Nations body.
The election took place
during the opening of the UNECE-UN/CEFACT Plenary, which also saw the election
of a new Bureau comprising 10 Vice-Chairs from Australia, Canada, Italy,
Kyrgyzstan, Morocco, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United
States.
Diagne’s election marks a
historic milestone for Senegal and Africa, with the presidency of the United
Nations body dedicated to trade facilitation and electronic trade going to a
representative of the Global South for the first time.
The appointment has been
welcomed as international recognition of Diagne’s expertise, leadership, vision
and commitment to digital transformation and trade facilitation.
The United Nations Centre
for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business has adopted 49 policy
recommendations and more than 950 standards and data models to support the
digitalisation of international trade. These include the Single Window and
UN/LOCODE systems.
Congratulating Diagne on the
appointment, Senegalese digital transformation advocate Koudy WANE described
the election as a source of pride for the country, noting that the achievement
extends beyond an individual recognition to become a collective victory for
Senegal and Africa.
“Beyond this personal
consecration, it is Senegal and all of Africa that shine through this historic
appointment,” WANE said.
