United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has announced the appointment of Edward (Ted) Chaiban of Lebanon as Deputy Executive Director, Programme of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), effective 1 January 2027. He will succeed Omar Abdi of Canada, who will retire on 31 December 2026, and to whom the Secretary-General and UNICEF are grateful for his dedicated service.
Mr. Chaiban has been working as UNICEF’s Deputy Executive Director, Humanitarian Action and Supply Operations, since 2023. Prior to the current role, Mr. Chaiban was the Global Lead Coordinator for COVID-19 Vaccine Country Readiness and Delivery. He has held various leadership roles in UNICEF including Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa; Director of Programmes; Director of Emergency Programmes; as well as Representative in Ethiopia, Sudan and Sri Lanka.
Mr. Chaiban holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology and Political Science from Tufts University, USA, and a Master of Arts Degree in Development and Arab Studies from Georgetown University, USA. In addition to his native Arabic, Mr. Chaiban is fluent in English and French.
