Annan appoints humanitarian envoy for Côte d'Ivoire

A senior United Nations relief official today was designated Secretary-General Kofi Annan's Humanitarian Envoy for the crisis in Côte d'Ivoire.

The appointment of Carolyn McAskie, currently the UN's Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, comes in light of the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the country and its negative impact on the subregion, according to a UN spokesman.

"This designation should be seen in the context of recent high-level missions to the region, including the mission of Kamal Morjane, Assistant High Commissioner for Refugees, and the fact-finding human rights mission led by Bertrand Ramcharan, Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights," the spokesman said in a statement.

Ms. McAskie's mission will further enhance the profile of the humanitarian effort in Côte d'Ivoire and ensure that the work of the UN county team is part of a more coherent UN approach to the crisis, the spokesman added.

Ms. McAskie is expected to be deployed to the region for approximately one month beginning 10 January.