United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has announced the appointment of Major General Anita Asmah of Ghana as Head of Mission and Force Commander of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF).

Major General Asmah succeeds Lieutenant General Nirmal Kumar Thapa of Nepal, who will complete his assignment in mid-December 2024.

The Secretary-General said he is grateful for his leadership and dedication to United Nations peacekeeping efforts.

Major General Asmah brings 31 years of leadership and command experience to the position in the Ghana Armed Forces and United Nations peacekeeping.

Most recently, she served as Director General in the Department of Defence Civilian Establishment of the Ghanaian Armed Forces. Before that, Major General Asmah was the Deputy Force Commander of UNDOF (2021-2023).

She also served as a Staff Officer in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) (2015-2016 and 2012-2013) and as a Military Observer in the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) (2003-2004).

Major General Asmah also held numerous other senior-level positions within the Ghanaian Armed Forces, including Director of Education, Deputy Military Secretary, and Course Director at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre.

Major General Asmah holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Law degree from the University of Ghana. She is fluent in English and French.