Ugandan prominent figure Winnie Byanyima is set to take on another influential international assignment after securing a new leadership position at the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED).

The wife of opposition politician Dr Kizza Besigye will become chairperson of the organisation’s board of trustees in January 2027, marking another major milestone in her international career.

The appointment comes as Byanyima prepares to leave her position as Executive Director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).

Her tenure at the global health agency will officially end on December 31, 2026, after which she will move into her new role, focusing on issues surrounding climate change, inequality and sustainable development.

IIED is an independent research and policy organisation that has spent more than five decades working on environmental and development challenges.

Through partnerships with governments, local communities and civil society organisations, it seeks to influence policies that protect the environment while improving people’s livelihoods.

Byanyima’s new assignment is closely connected to issues she has championed throughout her career, particularly gender equality, poverty reduction and economic inequality.

She said she was joining the institute at a critical moment when international cooperation and sustainable development were facing significant challenges.

She announced her planned departure from UNAIDS during a special meeting of its Programme Coordinating Board on October 26, 2026.

Despite preparing for a new chapter, she promised to continue serving the organisation with energy and determination until the final day of her mandate.

In a statement released on November 3, UNAIDS praised her leadership, particularly her efforts to defend an HIV response based on scientific evidence and human rights.

The agency also recognised her commitment to ensuring that people living with HIV and affected communities remained at the centre of global efforts to address the epidemic.

Byanyima brings decades of experience to the new position, having served in Ugandan politics before moving into influential international institutions.

During her 11 years in political office, she championed women’s representation and contributed to efforts to secure gender equality provisions in Uganda’s 1995 Constitution.

She later held senior positions at Oxfam International, the United Nations Development Programme and the African Union Commission, while also advising major international economic forums on gender and wealth inequality.

IIED Executive Director Tom Mitchell welcomed her appointment, saying her experience and ability to bring different institutions together would strengthen the organisation.

Byanyima will provide leadership to the institute’s governing board as it pursues its mission of promoting fair and sustainable development, adding yet another prestigious international responsibility to her long record of public service.