Haile Menkerios is an Eritrean-born South African diplomat who specialises in conflict resolution. Haile was formerly the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General and head of the United Nations Office to the African Union (2013-2018).

His previous roles included serving as Special Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General for Sudan and South Sudan (2011-2013) as well as head of the United Nations Mission in Sudan (2009-2011), United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs in New York (2007-2009), and several senior posts in United Nations Headquarters and missions in the field dealing with issues of peace and security (2002-2007). Haile’s field engagements on behalf of the United Nations included successful mediation efforts in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zimbabwe, The African Great Lakes Region, Madagascar, Comoros and several conflict situations in western Africa. 

Among Haile’s achievements, he brokered the Nairobi Communiqué on illegal armed groups between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, for which he was awarded a medal as “Fighter against Genocide” by Rwandan President, Paul Kagame. He also oversaw the facilitation of South Sudanese Independence, for which he was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize in 2011.

Prior to his United Nations engagements, Haile served as Eritrean Permanent Representative to the United Nations (1997-2000), Special Envoy to Somalia and the Great Lakes Region, and Ambassador to Ethiopia and the African Union during the critical period of Eritrea’s separation from Ethiopia.

Currently, Haile is also engaged as a Senior Advisor to the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, and a member of the Advisory Board of the International Center for Dialogue Initiatives.