By Muhammed S. Bah
The Ministry of Justice announced that Dr. Lamin J. Sise has now been identified as the Chairperson of the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) replacing Mr Abdoulie Morikebba Janneh.
A press release issued by the Ministry on Friday disclosed that Dr Sise worked for the United Nations for more than thirty years. During the past twenty five years he served as Executive Assistant, Senior Adviser and close confidant of the late Secretary General Kofi Annan. Prior to his association with Mr. Annan, Dr. Sise served in various senior capacities in the Secretariat of the United Nations, including Deputy Legal Adviser of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in Geneva, Senior Legal Officer in the Office of Legal Affairs, Director for Legal Affairs, Human Rights and Special Assignments in the Executive Office of the Secretary General.
The release adds that from 2008 to 2011, Dr. Sise also served as Senior Adviser to Mr. Annan during the Kenya National Reconciliation and Dialogue when the Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission was established following the 2007 electoral crisis in Kenya. Dr. Sise served as Mr. Annan’s Chief of Staff when the latter was appointed as Special Envoy for Syria. Secretaries General Ban Ki Moon and Antonio Guterres also recalled Dr. Sise back into service twice to undertake special assignments, the release asserted.
The release also gives the following educational background of Dr. Lamin J. Sise. He was born and raised in The Gambia and received his education in Bansang School, Armitage High School and Yundum College. He taught at the Ngayen Sanjal primary school before pursuing higher education in the United States and the United Kingdom. He holds B.A., M.A. and Ph. D degrees from Johns Hopkins University in the US, as well as an LL.B degree from the University of Cambridge in England.
