Pakistan Army Major General Jawwad Ahmed has been appointed as the new Force Commander of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara, known as MINURSO.
The appointment was announced by UN Secretary General António Guterres in August 2026. Major General Ahmed succeeds Bangladesh’s Major General Md Fakhrul Ahsan, whose term concluded on August 2.
The role places a Pakistani military officer at the centre of an important UN peacekeeping mission.
Major General Jawwad Ahmed brings more than 35 years of leadership and operational experience to his new UN assignment.
Throughout his career, he has held a wide range of senior positions within the Pakistan Army and Pakistan’s Ministry of Defence.
His previous roles include serving as a General Officer Commanding of an infantry division, Force Commander of the Northern Areas and Director General of the Inspection and Evaluation Directorate at General Headquarters.
Major General Ahmed’s career has also included significant responsibilities beyond conventional military command.
As Director General in the Ministry of Defence, he was involved in command, local governance and administration across cantonment areas serving more than 5.3 million people.
His experience in high altitude regions is particularly notable, having held senior command responsibilities in some of Pakistan’s most demanding terrains.
Major General Ahmed is no stranger to United Nations peacekeeping.
Earlier in his career, he served with a Pakistani battalion deployed under the United Nations Transitional Administration for Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Sirmium in Croatia.
That earlier international experience provides an important foundation as he takes command of MINURSO in Western Sahara.
UN peacekeeping requires military leaders to work alongside personnel from different countries while operating within the framework of an international mandate.
Pakistan Army Major General Jawwad Ahmed has been appointed as the new Force Commander of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara, known as MINURSO.
Pakistan Army Major General Jawwad Ahmed has been appointed as the new Force Commander of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara, known as MINURSO.
The appointment was announced by UN Secretary General António Guterres in August 2026. Major General Ahmed succeeds Bangladesh’s Major General Md Fakhrul Ahsan, whose term concluded on August 2.
The role places a Pakistani military officer at the centre of an important UN peacekeeping mission.
Major General Jawwad Ahmed brings more than 35 years of leadership and operational experience to his new UN assignment.
Throughout his career, he has held a wide range of senior positions within the Pakistan Army and Pakistan’s Ministry of Defence.
His previous roles include serving as a General Officer Commanding of an infantry division, Force Commander of the Northern Areas and Director General of the Inspection and Evaluation Directorate at General Headquarters.
Major General Ahmed’s career has also included significant responsibilities beyond conventional military command.
As Director General in the Ministry of Defence, he was involved in command, local governance and administration across cantonment areas serving more than 5.3 million people.
His experience in high altitude regions is particularly notable, having held senior command responsibilities in some of Pakistan’s most demanding terrains.
Major General Ahmed is no stranger to United Nations peacekeeping.
Earlier in his career, he served with a Pakistani battalion deployed under the United Nations Transitional Administration for Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Sirmium in Croatia.
That earlier international experience provides an important foundation as he takes command of MINURSO in Western Sahara.
UN peacekeeping requires military leaders to work alongside personnel from different countries while operating within the framework of an international mandate.
