Ambassador João Samuel CAHOLO, an Angolan National, born on 10th July 1956, was appointed Executive Secretary of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) on 20 November 2020 Before joining the Secretariat, he served in the Angolan Government in various capacities including as Senior Advisor on Diplomacy and International Cooperation at the Angolan Presidency (2018-2020), Senior Advisor in the Ministry of Petroleum (2015-2017) and Deputy Minister of Fisheries (1992- 1999). He has extensive professional working experience with the Southern African Development Community (SADC) having been the Deputy Executive Secretary (2005- 2013), Director for the Infrastructure and Services Directorate (2003-2005), Regional Energy Sector Coordinator (1999-2001) and as Chief Consulting Geologist (1986-1992). Ambassador Caholo, a Geoscientist and Geologist by training, holds a Masters and Bachelor’s Degree in Economic Geology from the University of Angola (1979-84) and a Post-Graduate in Petroleum Geology and Reservoir Management from the University of Trondheim (1986-1987). He speaks fluent English and Portuguese, and has working knowledge of French and Spanish.