Ambassador Peter Oloishorua Ole Nkuraiyia is the new Executive Director of the NGOs Co-ordination Board.

He replaces Mr. David Isoe.

In the Kenya Gazette of March 13, 2009, the Minister of State for National Heritage and Culture, Hon. William Ole Ntimama, EGH, MP, appointed Amb. Ole Nkuraiyia to serve for a period of three years effective February 14, 2009.

Amb. Ole Nkuraiyia, a career diplomat, brings a wealth of diplomatic and administrative experience to the Board. Born 51 years ago, he holds a degree in Political Science and a Postgraduate Diploma in International Relations from the University of Nairobi.

He joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1982 and served in various missions abroad.

He has served as Kenya’s High Commissioner to Uganda (1996-1999) and Ambassador to Kingdom of Belgium and The Grand Duchy of Luxemburg (1999-2003). He was also Kenya’s Permanent Representative to the European Union (EU).

Amb. Ole Nkuraiyia has also served as Permanent Secretary in the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and the East African Community.

During this time he served as the chairman, African Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) sub-committee on Trade and Commodity Protocol, chairman, ACP Customs Cooperation, Brussels, and was also the co-chair of the ACP/EU Trade and Commodity Protocol between 1999 and 2002. This culminated in the signing of the ACP/AU Partnership Agreement (2000) and the ongoing negotiations on Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) between the AU and the ACP group of countries.

He was the leader of the Kenyan delegation to the East African Community Negotiations between 2003 and 2006, leading to the signing of the East African Common External Tariff (CET).

Amb. Ole Nkuraiyia coordinated and participated in peace and reconciliation efforts in the Horn of Africa. They include the Kenya-led IGAD negotiations that culminated in signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) on Southern Sudan and the Somali peace reconciliation process.

This wealth of international and administrative experience will be useful in propelling the Board towards greater achievements in the years to come.