Mr James Swan was the US Special Representative for Somalia/Somaliland from 2011 to 2013, based in Nairobi Kenya.
New York, May 30 – A former US special representative to Somalia who also served as Washington‘s ambassador to the Democratic Republic of Congo has been tapped to be the next United Nations envoy to Somaliland and Somalia.
He will succeed Nicholas Haysom of South Africa to whom the Secretary-General is deeply grateful for his dedicated service in UNSOM and Somalia/Somaliland at a challenging time.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the Security Council in a letter released Thursday that he plans to appoint James Swan as his envoy for Somalia.
Mr. Swan is an experienced diplomat with a long international career in the United States Government. He spent most of his career in African countries facing complex political transitions. He served as Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 2013 to 2016, US Special Representative for Somalia/Somaliland from 2011 to 2013, and Ambassador to Djibouti from 2008 to 2011.
Mr Swan visited Hargeisa and met with then Somaliland President Ahmed Silanyo. 
He also met with then Speaker of House of Representatives of Somaliland Abdirahman Irro
In his earlier career, Mr. Swan served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs from 2006 to 2008, and Director of African Analysis in the State Department’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research from 2005 to 2006. Prior to these, Mr. Swan held various assignments in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of Congo, Somalia, Cameroon, Nicaragua, and Haiti.
His predecessor, Nicholas Haysom, who was declared persona non grata by Somalia’s government in January after he raised human rights concerns.
Haysom, a South African lawyer, an experienced diplomat, was told to leave Somalia after he questioned the government‘s decision to arrest an Al-Shabaab defector who was running in elections.
Swan’s appointment is expected to be supported by the council, diplomats said.
Mr. Swan holds a B.Sc. degree from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, an M.A. from Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, and a Master’s degree in Security Studies from the National War College.
UN Website, New York, 30 May 2019
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