Kandeh Yumkella

**Alhaji Dr. Kandeh Kolleh Yumkella** (born July 5, 1959) be Sierra Leonean agricultural economist, politician wey be member of parliament den Chair for Presidential Initiative insyd for Climate Change, Renewable Energy den Food Security for Presido Julius Maada Bio ein government insyd. He be public speaker, wey dey address global issues, for poverty reduction, climate change, de Millennium Development Goals, den green industry den renewable energy. Dr. Yumkella ein opinion pieces appear for major international newspapers, wey dey include *The New York Times*, de *International Herald Tribune*, den *The Guardian*. He sanso dey appear for several international broadcast networks, wey dey include CNN ein Amanpour programme, BBC, Sky News, Aljazeera den CNBC.

He be former United Nations Under-Secretary-General den Special Representative of de Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All. He sanso be chief executive officer of de Sustainable Energy for All Initiative. Yumkella be former chairmo of UN-Energy den a two-term former Director-General of de United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).

Yumkella be devout Muslim den member for Susu ethnic group. Na he marry to Philomena Yumkella wey die on 26 June 2022.

Na Yumkella contest de presidency for Sierra Leone for 2018 wey na he garner 6.9% of de vote.

## Early life den education
Na dem born Kandeh Kolleh Yumkella on July 5, 1959, insyd de rural village of Kychom, Samu Chiefdom, Kambia District insyd de Northern Province of Sierra Leone. Na ein poppie, de late paramount chief Alhaji Bai Shebora Yumkella II, be an ethnic Susu den a founding member of de Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP). Na ein mommie Haja Binta Yumkella be an ethnic Fula wey komot Tambakha Chiefdom, Bombali District insyd Northern Province, Sierra Leone. Na Kandeh Yumkela ein mommie Haja Binta Yumkella be de daughter of paramount chief Kandeh Kolleh, de first paramount chief of Tambakha Chiefdom insyd Bombali District. Na dem born Kandeh Yumkela to very religious Muslim parents insyd Kambia District, den a devout Muslim einself. Na Yumkella attend de Christ The King College (CKC) Secondary School insyd Bo.

## Career

Before e start work for UNIDO, Yumkella be Trade and Industry Minister for Sierra Leone from 1994 go 1995. From 1987 reach 1996, e draw different academic jobs for Michigan State University and University of Illinois for USA. Because of him leadership and him love for energy and environment matter, dem appoint am Chair of UN-Energy for 2008 by UN Secretary-General.

For December 2005, Dr. Kandeh K. Yumkella na him be di Director-General for United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), after he don work for many top policy positions insyde UNIDO. Dem re-appoint am again for di second four-year term for office for December 2009.

Before e join UNIDO, Yumkella be Trade plus Industry Minister for Sierra Leone from 1994 to 1995. From 1987 to 1996, e dey hold different academic positions for Michigan State University plus de University of Illinois.

Cos e be good leader wey sabi energy and environment matter, dem appoint Yumkella as Chair of UN-Energy for 2008 by UN Secretary-General. UN-Energy dey bring all di UN people wey dey work on energy issues together. As di chairman, Yumkella bring fresh energy to global energy wahala plus e also help to organize di UN response to energy matters.

For September 2011, them put Yumkella for UN Secretary-General side as co-chair of de High-level Group wey dey focus on Sustainable Energy for All. This one follow after UN General Assembly decide say 2012 go be the International Year for Sustainable Energy for All. As Co-chair for this High-level Group, Yumkella dey help lead the initiative wey go show say everybody need better access to energy, plus we need to boost energy efficiency plus make renewable energy sources dey work well well.

Yumkella be member of the Rio+20 Principals Group wey do serious work for 2012 United Nations Conference for Sustainable Development. Since 2008, e don dey active for UN Development Group wey dey help set and coordinate global development priorities for United Nations. As Director-General, e lead UNIDO wey still dey provide plenty trade-related technical assistance to developing countries insyde de UN system.

For September 2012, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon fit appoint Yumkella as Special Rep for di Sustainable Energy for All Initiative.

For December 2005, Dr. Kandeh K. Yumkella gree dem make am Director-General for United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), after e don work for plenty high-level policy jobs for UNIDO before. Dem reappoint am for second four-year term insyde office for December 2009.

## Education

* 1992 - Ph.D. Agricultural Economics, University of Illinois
* 1986 - M.Sc. Agricultural Economics, Cornell University
* 1982 - B.Sc. General Agriculture, Njala University College, Sierra Leone
* 1978-  Christ the King College, Bo, Sierra Leone

## Career

* 1994 to 1995 – Minister for Trade, Industry and State Enterprises of Sierra Leone.
* 1996 Special – Advisor to UNIDO Director-General, Mauricio de Maria y Campos
* 1996 to 2000 – Director of the Africa and Least Developed Countries Regional Bureau, UNIDO
* 2000 to 2003 – UNIDO Representative and Director of the Regional Industrial Development Centre, Nigeria
* 2003 to 2005 – Senior Advisor to UNIDO Director-General, Carlos Alfredo Magariños
* 2005 to 2013 – Director General of UNIDO

## Minister for Trade, Industry plus State Enterprises of [[:en:Sierra_Leone|Sierra Leone]]
As Trade Minister, he do well for promote market changes and sign Sierra Leone join African Regional Standards Organization (ARSO). He also launch moves wey go help private sector grow, set up public-private partnership plus dialogue mechanisms.

E organize some talks between government and private business to chat about wetin dey hold private sector back, with help from UNIDO, International Trade Center (ITC), African Project Development Facility (APDF) and UNDP Regional Bureau For Africa (UNDP/RBA).

As co-chair of di Public Enterprise Reform and Divestiture Commission (di privatization commission), I dey supervise internal review of di privatization council, I dey also make sure say local people sabi di privatization program plus encourage domestic private sector to join di program.

E also dey serve as member for di minister level committee wey dey monitor structural adjustment. Dem dey check policy wey go fit make civil service workforce fine, judicial reform, petrol price matter plus how dem go fit make rice subsidy to dey pay.

## Tenure at UNIDO
Yumkella don work for high-level policy jobs for UNIDO, he even be Special Adviser to two past Directors-General plus be the first Representative and Director of UNIDO Regional Office wey dey for Nigeria. E be the first person wey come from Sub-Saharan Africa wey fit hold this position. For December 2005, Yumkella take the Director-General position for UNIDO, and for December 2009, dem confirm am again for second term.

## UN-Energy
For June 2009, dem appoint Yumkella by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon make e chair new Advisory Group wey dey on Energy and Climate Change. Di Group members get international experts, industry big men and UN system people wey dey advise on energy mata wey dey important for di new global climate change deal den beyond.

Yumkella be di chairman for UN-Energy, na United Nations group wey dey coordinate tins wey concern energy matter.

E too dey belong to China Council of International Cooperation wey dey focus on Environment and Development (CCICED). Kandeh Yumkella be big public speaker wey dey talk plenty global wahala like poverty reduction, climate change, de Millennium Development Goals and all di matter wey concern Africa plus di developing world, plus green industry den renewable energy too.

Dr. Yumkella dey drop im mind for big international newspapers, like The New York Times, International Herald Tribune, plus The Guardian.

E don show for plenty big international stations, like CNN Amanpour programme, BBC, Sky News, Aljazeera plus CNBC.

## Awards den honours
* Lifetime Achievement Award, Green White & Blue Commission
* Nayudamma Award for outstanding contributions to the energy sector, 13 November 2014
## References

## External links

* Yumkella's Bio on the UNIDO official website Archived 2010-05-31 at the Wayback Machine
* Kandeh K. Yumkella interviewed by BBC's Andrew Marr