Yahya will succeed Joyce Msuya of Tanzania, whom the secretary-general and the emergency relief coordinator thanked for her service to humanitarian work.

He currently serves as the U.N. resident coordinator and humanitarian coordinator in Pakistan, where he leads one of the largest U.N. presences in Asia and the Pacific.

In that role, Yahya coordinated the U.N. response to the 2025 floods in Pakistan.

Before his appointment in Pakistan, Yahya served as the U.N. Development Programme resident representative in Nigeria, where he led one of UNDP’s largest country offices.

He previously coordinated UNDP’s Africa Regional Programme, working with the African Union on conflict prevention and stabilization across the continent.

Earlier in his career, Yahya held positions with the United Nations and International Alert in West Africa and Afghanistan.

Yahya holds a master’s degree in conflict and development and a bachelor’s degree in politics and history, both from SOAS University of London.

A Somali national who grew up in Kenya, Yahya speaks Swahili, English and Somali.