Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, the former first woman deputy president of South Africa, was appointed as the new executive director of UN Women, the organisation leading the UN's work on advancing gender equality and women's rights.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced the appointment of Mlambo-Ngcuka, an official statement issued here said Thursday.
"Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka brings to this position a wealth of experience in advocating for women's issues with a combination of strategic leadership, consensus building and hands-on management experience," it said.
She succeeds Michelle Bachelet, who resigned in March to run for another term as president of Chile.
Mlambo-Ngcuka, 58, was the first woman to hold the position of deputy president of South Africa from 2005 to 2008.
