Cameroonian Dr. Richard Munang Appointed Director of United Nations University

A Cameroonian respected scholar, Dr. Richard Munang, has been appointed Director of the United Nations University Institute for Natural Resources in Africa.

The announcement was made moments ago by the prestigious university in Ghana’s capital, Accra.

Dr. Munang, from Jikfuin village in Belo Subdivision, Boyo Division, in the Northwest region of Cameroon, is an internationally recognized scholar in sustainability, systems transformation, and natural resource governance.

He is expected to bring nearly two decades of experience in climate change adaptation; environmental monitoring and early warning systems; food, water, energy, and land systems; and natural resource and environmental crime governance, including work across Africa, the wider Global South, and internationally, to the UN University.

“I am truly honored by the opportunity to lead UNU-INRA and to build on the remarkable legacy my predecessors have established,” Dr. Munang said following his appointment.

“Africa’s natural resources are the foundation of the continent’s future, and the need for rigorous, African-led science that is connected to policy and action has never been greater. With determination and the collaborative spirit of colleagues across UNU and the continent, I am committed to making UNU-INRA a trusted evidence partner that helps Africa turn its natural wealth into sustainable and inclusive development,” he added.

Reacting to the appointment, UNU Rector and UN Under-Secretary-General Prof. Tshilidzi Marwala said that they are pleased that Dr. Richard Munang will be joining UNU as the new Director of UNU-INRA.

“With decades of experience advancing solutions to interconnected sustainable development challenges, Dr. Munang’s depth of expertise includes a rare mix of scholarship, programming, and implementation, underpinned by practical knowledge of what it takes to connect science to effective policy. His leadership will be essential as UNU redoubles efforts to expand knowledge, partnerships, and impact in Africa and the Global South,” said the Rector.

Dr. Munang currently serves as Head of the Global Programme on Crimes that Affect the Environment at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, leading the office’s global response to illegal mining, illegal logging, illegal fishing, wildlife trafficking, and hazardous waste crime. In this role, he has advanced approaches that use environmental insights and enforcement data to support investigations, prosecutions, and investment decisions, helping countries safeguard their natural resources more effectively.

Previously, at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Dr. Munang served as Head of the Global Environment Monitoring Systems, strengthening the integration of global monitoring across water, air, and oceans and improving how environmental information reaches Member States in real time. Before that, he was Deputy Regional Director of UNEP’s Regional Office for Africa, providing senior leadership for programs covering all 54 African countries. He also previously served as UNEP’s Africa Regional Climate Change Coordinator, leading programs on climate change adaptation, clean energy, innovative financing, and food security across the continent.