New Permanent Representative of South Africa Presents Credentials to the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva

Zaheer Laher, the new Permanent Representative of South Africa to the United Nations Office at Geneva, today presented his credentials to Tatiana Valovaya, the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva.

Prior to his appointment to Geneva, Mr. Laher had been serving as the Acting Chief State Law Advisor (international law) of South Africa since 2024, and concurrently as the Chief Director, United Nations Political, Peace and Security, Department of International Relations and Coordination of South Africa, since 2021.

With a career spanning more than 27 years in the Department, he has also held numerous other roles in the area of multilateral diplomacy, including as Acting Chief Director, United Nations Political, Peace and Security (2019–2021); Director, International Coordination (2014–2021); Acting Director, Economic Development (2013–2014); Minister Counsellor/Political Coordinator, at the Permanent Mission of South Africa to the United Nations, New York (2010–2013); Acting Director, Social Development (2010); and Deputy Director, United Nations Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Organization and Health (2009–2010).

Mr. Laher began work as an attorney in 1997 and moved into South Africa’s Foreign Service in 1998.  He holds a Master of Laws, obtained in 2000; a Bachelor of Laws, obtained in 1996; and a Bachelor of Arts, obtained in 1994 from the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.

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