Accra: The United Nations Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER) here on Monday announced the sudden death of Marcel Rudasingwa, assistant secretary general and the Mission's emergency crisis manager in Guinea.
Rudasingwa, a Rwandan national, passed away suddenly from natural causes Monday, Xinhua quoted a press statement as saying.
UNMEER paid glowing tribute to Rudasingwa for the pivotal role he played in the organisation's and the international community's response to the Ebola epidemic that has killed more than 5,000 people in West Africa, mostly in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone.
"He was an international civil servant of the highest order, committed to the principles of the United Nations and who, when asked about joining UNMEER, took up this important work without hesitation," said the head of UNMEER, the secretary general's special representative, Anthony Banbury.
"We are all saddened by Marcel's untimely passing and he shall be sorely missed, both in a personal sense with his kindness and ability to make you feel instantly at ease, and in a professional sense, with the dedication and commitment he brought to his work," Banbury added.
"Marcel also spoke often about his family with love and pride, and we are heart-broken at their loss.
"As an emergency crisis manager, Rudasingwa headed UNMEER's operations in Guinea, working with its government and key stakeholders in ensuring a rapid and effective international response to the Ebola crisis within the country ," the statement added.
Prior to his service with UNMEER, Rudasingwa worked with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) for almost 20 years, having served extensively in various senior management and leadership functions in Mali, Guinea, Denmark and, most recently, as the UNICEF representative in Kenya.
UNMEER expressed its deepest condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Rudasingwa.
