Fatma Samoura of Senegal, has been appointed as FIFA’s Secretary-General, becoming the first female in that post and the first African in such position.
She succeeds former secretary-general Jerome Valcke, who was recently banned from football-related activity for 12 years.
The 54-year-old Fatma Samoura spent 21 years
working for the United Nations and will assume duties at the world
football governing body in June.
“It is essential that FIFA incorporates
fresh perspectives as we continue to restore and rebuild our
organisation. She has a proven ability to build and lead teams, and
improve the way organisations perform. Importantly for FIFA, she also
understands that transparency and accountability are at the heart of any
well-run and responsible organisation,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said of the appointment.
Samoura’s appointment, announced at
FIFA’s congress in Mexico City, completes a new-look to an organisation
which has been dogged by corruption allegations under Valcke and
previous president Sepp Blatter.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports, Samoura, who will
undergo an eligibility check before her role is ratified, currently
works for the UN in Nigeria, and speaks four languages.
She started her UN career as a senior logistics officer with the World Food Programme in Rome in 1995.
Samoura has since served as country representative or director in six African countries, including Nigeria.
“Today is a wonderful day for me, and I
am honoured to take on this role. This role is a perfect fit for my
skills and experience – strategic, high-impact team building in
international settings – which I will use to help grow the game of
football all over the world. I also look forward to bringing my
experience in governance and compliance to bear on the important reform
work that is already underway at FIFA. FIFA is taking a fresh approach
to its work – and I am eager to play a role in making that approach as
effective and lasting as possible,” she said.
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