UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan appointed Major-General Seth Kofi Obeng of Ghana as commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) on November 16.

The appointment will become effective on December 1, 1999.

Major-General Obeng succeeds Major-General Jioje Lonousi Konrote of Fiji who served as force commander from October 1, 1997 to September 30, 1999.

Major-General Obeng joined the Ghanaian Armed Force in 1965 and has held senior command and staff appointments, including commandant of the Staff College and chief of staff of the Ghanaian Armed Forces. He has extensive peacekeeping experience.

He served as deputy force commander of the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group in Liberia from August 1994 to September 1996 and as force commander of the United Nations Observer Mission in Angola from May 1, 1998 to october 1999.

Major-General Obeng holds a Master of Science degree in defense studies and a postgraduate diploma in international and comparative politics.