A Malawian Themba Kalua has been appointed as United Nations Resident Coordinator for Samoa, this according to a statement released on Monday on the United Nations website. Kalua who resumed his new role effective August 5th, becomes first Malawian in recent history to have moved that high in the UN hierarchy.

Apart from Samoa, he will also be coordinating UN Development operations in three other countries in the Pacific region block including Cooks Islands, Niue and Tokelau.

Before his appointment, kalua has worked for a number of UN organizations including UN Women in South Africa, Kenya, and New York.

He also worked for the UN Environment program, UNDP, and World Food Program WFP.

Kalua 43 says he is humbled with the appointment and has since encouraged Malawians especially the youths not to look down upon themselves but to aim high.

'Am greatly humbled by this appointment, and I promise to serve and represent my country well. Let me also encourage youths, that they should not look down upon themselves, they can achieve more, I did my primary and secondary education in public schools in Malawi, went to a public university, Polytechnic, now (MUBAS). And this should encourage someone that everyone has the potential to achieve more in life," Said Kalua.

Human rights and development advocate Michael Kaiyatsa says Kaluas appointment is a sign that Malawi as a country has something to offer to the world.

"As a country we should be proud of what this son of the soil and many others have achieved. This also tells that as a country we have people that are being competed for at the global level, and that Malawi has something to offer to the world," he said.

Among other roles, UN Resident Coordinators are responsible of leading the UN country team in the development, monitoring and reporting on the UN corporation framework; representing the UN at the highest levels of state and also coordinating UN system-wide support to government.

Currently the UN has 130 resident coordinators worldwide that are servicing 162 countries’ and territories.