Distinguished Diplomat-in-Residence
H.E. Ms. Mathu Joyini serves as Distinguished Diplomat-in-Residence at the United Nations Foundation, a role she assumed following her tenure as South Africa’s Permanent Representative to the UN in New York.
During her time as Permanent Representative, she played a leading role on issues ranging from financing for development and General Assembly revitalization to gender equality and pandemic preparedness, and co-chaired negotiations of the resolution that set out the modalities for the upcoming Secretary-General selection process.
Her career spans over three decades across the private sector, national government, and international diplomacy. Within South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation, she served as Deputy Director-General for Human Resources, High Commissioner and Ambassador to six Caribbean countries, Permanent Representative to the International Seabed Authority, and Deputy Director-General for Diplomatic Training and Mediation Support, where she led both the Diplomatic Academy and the Mediation Support Unit. Before entering government in 2001, she held senior positions in mining, financial services, petroleum, and consulting.
Ambassador Joyini holds an MA in Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from Wits Business School. She is a member of the Gertrude Shope Peace and Mediation Network, and FemWise Africa.
