Winnie Byanyima lands in another international job

What the report says

Winnie Byanyima, the Executive Director of UNAIDS, has been appointed chairperson of the board of trustees of the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), according to The Independent Uganda. The move places the Ugandan official and longtime development advocate in a leadership role at an organisation focused on climate change, nature loss, inequality and sustainable development.

The report says Byanyima will take up the IIED role in January 2027, after her current term at UNAIDS ends on December 31, 2026. She had already told a UNAIDS special session on October 26 that she would step down, while expressing commitment to lead the agency through the end of her mandate. UNAIDS later praised her leadership, saying she helped steer the joint programme through a difficult period.

IIED described her experience in public service and international development as an asset for its work with governments, communities and civil society. The institute said her leadership would support its mission of promoting fairer and more sustainable futures. Byanyima, who previously served in Uganda’s Parliament and has held senior roles at organisations including Oxfam International, UNDP and the African Union Commission, said she was honoured to join IIED at a challenging time for the sustainable development sector and multilateral cooperation.