On World AIDS Day, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced that Michel Sidibe of Mali has been named the executive director of UNAIDS, a coalition of 10 U.N. agencies that fight AIDS, Bloomberg reports.

“He brings a wealth of experience together with a firm commitment to human rights and to greater involvement of people living with or affected by HIV/AIDS,” Ban said.

Sidibe joined the coalition in 2001 as director of country and regional support and later became its deputy executive director, managing seven regional support teams, 81 countries and 70 percent of UNAIDS’ budget and personnel. He succeeds Peter Piot, who held the position since its inception 13 years ago.