FIFA’s Secretary General, Fatma Samoura , will be stepping down from her position after serving for seven years. The 60-year-old, appointed in 2016 as the first female and non-European in the role, will oversee the upcoming Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand before officially leaving at the end of the year.
Samoura expressed her pride in leading a diverse team and highlighted the positive changes made within FIFA during her tenure. FIFA President Gianni Infantino acknowledged her contributions and respected her decision to prioritize spending more time with her family.
Under Fatma Samoura ‘s leadership, women’s football has experienced increased popularity and organization, with the 2023 Women’s World Cup set to be the largest-ever women’s competition, featuring 32 teams.
BIOGRAPHY
After starting her United Nations career in Rome as a senior logistics officer with the World Food Programme in 1995, Fatma Samoura served as country representative or Deputy Humanitarian coordinator in seven countries: Republic of Djibouti, Cameroon, Chad, Guinea, Niger, Madagascar and Nigeria. In a humanitarian career with the United Nations that spanned 21-years, Ms Samoura managed to initiate and lead several development and humanitarian programmes across the globe. Countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Europe have all benefited from her skills in Programme and Operations Management. Ms Samoura’s leadership and vision has helped empower women and youth, change lives and protect the environment.
With significant experience in complex development, socio-economic, political and security situations Ms Samoura has helped countries to respond to various socio-political, economic, humanitarian, security and Human Rights challenges. Ms Samoura has been able to make a difference to millions of people through her work in the UN, and stepped in to her role at FIFA to help change the world through football as the first-ever female Secretary General of world football’s governing body.
Professional activities
- Joined the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in May 1995 as a Logistics Officer
- Served as the World Food Programme Representative and Country Director for Republic of Djibouti from 2000 to 2005.
- Served as the World Food Programme Representative and Country Director for Cameroon (2005-2007).
- Appointed as the Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator for UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance (OCHA) in Eastern Chad (2007-2009), and Niger (July-October 2010).
- From 2009 to 2010, served as the World Food World Food Programme Representative and Country Director for Guinea.
- From 18 October 2010 to 24 January 2016: Appointed as the United Nations Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative for Madagascar. Served in this capacity for just over 5 years.
- Before starting her first day at FIFA on 20 June 2016, Ms Samoura spent the first part of the year serving as the United Nations Resident Coordinator/ Humanitarian Coordinator and United Nations Development Programme Resident Representative for Nigeria