Management

Biography of the Executive Secretary

Ambassador João Samuel CAHOLO, an Angolan National, born on 10th July 1956, was appointed Executive Secretary of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) on 20 November 2020

Before joining the Secretariat, he served in the Angolan Government in various capacities including as Senior Advisor on Diplomacy and International Cooperation at the Angolan Presidency (2018-2020), Senior Advisor in the Ministry of Petroleum (2015-2017) and Deputy Minister of Fisheries (1992- 1999).

He has extensive professional working experience with the Southern African Development Community (SADC) having been the Deputy Executive Secretary (2005- 2013), Director for the Infrastructure and Services Directorate (2003-2005), Regional Energy Sector Coordinator (1999-2001) and as Chief Consulting Geologist (1986-1992).

Ambassador Caholo, a Geoscientist and Geologist by training, holds a Masters and Bachelor’s Degree in Economic Geology from the University of Angola (1979-84) and a Post-Graduate in Petroleum Geology and Reservoir Management from the University of Trondheim (1986-1987). He speaks fluent English and Portuguese, and has working knowledge of French and Spanish.

Biography of the Deputy Executive Secretary

Ambassador Yasir Ibrahim Ali Mohammed is a Sudanese career diplomat. He was appointed Deputy Executive Secretary and Senior Programme Manager of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) in October 2019.

He is holder of a Master’s Degree in International Relations from the Webster University – Leiden, Netherlands, and a Master’s degree in Business Administration MBA from the University of Khartoum – Sudan.

Ambassador Yasir has an experience of 24 years in the fields of diplomacy, international relations, international organizations and administration in Sudan and different parts of the world. He worked in Sudan’s Embassies in Rome (2000-2004), Ndjamena (2006-2008), Muscat (2008-2010), and The Hague (2013-2016). He has extensive knowledge and experience in the fields of international cooperation, development, planning, and partnership building accumulated through follow up of projects and programs with international regional and sub-regional
organisations such as IFAD, Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), World Food Programme (WFP), Organization on the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), the African Union (AU), Intergovernmental Authority for Development (IGAD), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and the ICGLR.

He has also served as in various capacities at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Sudan and abroad notably, as Head of Sub-regional Organizations Section, Deputy Director of African Union Directorate, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Sudan to the Organization on the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), and Deputy Head of mission in Sudan’s Embassy in Muscat -Sultanate of Oman. He speaks fluent Arabic, English and French