Argentina Matavel Piccin, a Mozambican national, was appointed to this position by the Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Dr. Natalia Kanem. The new regional director of UNFPA’s West and Central Africa regional office took office on September 3 in Dakar, Senegal, replacing Senegalese Mabingue Ngom, who was assigned to other duties.
Based in Dakar, Senegal, the UNFPA Regional Office for West and Central Africa (BRAOC) covers 23 countries, including 14 French-speaking countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo-Brazzaville, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal and Togo); 5 English-speaking countries (Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone); 3 Portuguese-speaking countries (Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau and Sao Tome & Principe) and one Spanish-speaking country (Equatorial Guinea). Established in January 2013, the regional office provides an essential link between UNFPA headquarters in New York and the offices in the 23 West and Central African countries it covers.
“My arrival in Dakar means a return home…. I am a daughter of Africa, ready to give her contribution for the acceleration of the three transformative outcomes and the Sustainable Development Goals,” said Argentina Matavel. The latter, it is explained, comes from Asia, where she headed the UNFPA office in India and was country director for Bhutan since April 2019. She was also the UNFPA resident representative in Côte d’Ivoire from 2017 to 2019.
Nearly 40 years of international experience
Argentina Matavel holds a Master’s degree in International Development from American University, Washington, DC, as well as a Certificate towards an Executive Master’s degree in Public Policy Management from Georgetown University Public Policy Institute (GPPI), Washington, DC. She has more than 40 years of experience leading programs in complex development and humanitarian contexts in the UN system and the non-governmental sector. Since joining UNFPA in 2006, she has served as a representative in Botswana, Mongolia, Bangladesh, Côte d’Ivoire and India.
Argentina Matavel, UNFPA reports, has successfully repositioned the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) agenda within national priorities, led strategy, vision and business planning, and forged and nurtured strategic alliances and partnerships.
Strong advocate for rights, access and choice for all
Prior to joining UNFPA, Argentina Matavel Ea held various leadership positions at World Vision USA and Mozambique (1995-2006), and worked for UNDP Burundi and Mozambique (1983-1993).
Throughout her career, UNFPA says, she has been a strong advocate for rights, access and choice for all, especially for women and girls. “Focusing on those most left behind, she has led programs to improve the quality of health care by strengthening midwifery, improving emergency obstetric and newborn care, and preventing and responding to gender-based violence,” UNFPA says.
For her contributions, Argentina Matavel was honored with the Polar Star Award by the Government of Mongolia and was awarded the medal of Officer of the National Order of Merit by the Government of Côte d’Ivoire.
