A Nigerian Legal Luminary bags key appointment in UN

Dr. Olufemi Elias

This development was announced by the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon on Monday. It was stated that the appointment will take effect from January 1, 2017.

Before now, Mr. Elias has been serving as the Executive Secretary of the World Bank Administrative Tribunal since July 2016. He has earlier held the position from 2008 to 2013.

Elias was the Legal Adviser and Director at the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) from 2013 to 2016. He also served as Senior Legal Officer at the OPCW from 2005 to 2008. Also, he worked in legal positions at the UN Compensation Commission between 1998 and 2005.

Elias is an associate member of the Institut de Droit International. A member of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), he holds a Ph.D from the University of London. Elias also holds a Master of Law degree from the University of Cambridge and also attended the University of Oxford where he obtained another Master of Arts degree and a Bachelor of Arts in Jurisprudence.

Elias will succeed John Hocking of Australia.
(NAN)