Martin Kimani

Ambassador Martin Kimani currently serves as executive director of NYU Center on International Cooperation. From 2021 to 2024, Kimani served as the permanent representative of Kenya to the United Nations (UN), where he held the positions of president of the Security Council in October 2021 and president of the UN Development Programme (UNDP), the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS), and the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) Executive Board in 2023. Prior to this role, he was Kenya’s special envoy for countering violent extremism and the director of the National Counter Terrorism Centre. Earlier in his career, he served as Kenya’s permanent representative to the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and UN-Habitat. Additionally, he directed the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Conflict Early Warning and Response Mechanism (CEWARN) and has experience in political risk analysis, bond and currency sales, and trading.

Ambassador Kimani holds a master of arts degree and PhD in War Studies from King’s College London and a bachelor of arts degree in Philosophy from the University of New Hampshire. His distinguished service to Kenya has been recognized with two senior presidential honors: Chief of the Order of the Burning Spear (CBS) and Elder of the Order of the Burning Spear (EBS). He was awarded the German Africa Foundation’s Honorary Award in 2022. He is a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.