In a significant move to bolster its engagement in Haiti, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has appointed Dr. Daniela Kroslak of Germany as the inaugural head of the newly created United Nations Support Office in Haiti (UNSOH). The announcement was made on Monday, marking a strategic step in the international body’s ongoing efforts to stabilize the Caribbean nation.
Dr. Kroslak is a seasoned diplomat with a formidable quarter-century of expertise in political affairs, peacekeeping operations, and mission leadership. Her academic credentials include a doctorate in international politics and a bachelor’s degree in international history and politics, providing a strong theoretical foundation for her extensive practical experience.
Her professional history with the UN is both deep and diverse. She previously held the critical role of Chief of Staff within the United Nations Mission for Justice Support in Haiti (MINUJUSTH), giving her invaluable on-the-ground insight into the country’s complex challenges. Her field experience extends across some of the world’s most demanding operational theaters, including Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Rwanda. Beyond her UN service, she has also contributed her expertise to the International Crisis Group in Kenya.
Most recently, Dr. Kroslak demonstrated her strategic acumen as the Lead Facilitator for the 2025 Review of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL). Preceding this, in 2024, she led the Independent Strategic and Civilian Staffing Review of the United Nations Office to the African Union (UNOAU). Her career also includes a pivotal role as the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Deputy Head of the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), a position she held until the mission’s mandate concluded in December 2023.
The UN highlighted that Dr. Kroslak possesses a distinguished record in strategic and organizational leadership, high-level coordination, mediation, and human rights advocacy. Her extensive service in fragile transition contexts makes her uniquely qualified to lead the UNSOH, an office tasked with coordinating international support and fostering stability in Haiti during a critical juncture.