2 women appointed to senior UN posts for gender issues, humanitarian relief

Secretary-General Kofi Annan today announced the appointment of two women to senior posts in the United Nations dealing with gender issues and humanitarian affairs.

Rachel Mayanja, currently the Director of the Human Resources Management Division at the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), is slated to become Mr. Annan's Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women, moving back to the UN from the Rome job that she had held since July 2000. She succeeds Assistant-Secretary-General Angela King, who retired earlier this year.

Ms. Mayanja, a national of Uganda, joined the UN shortly after the 1975 UN World Conference for Women. She holds law degrees from Makerere University in Uganda and Harvard Law School in the United States.

The new Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator will be Margareta Wahlstrom. She most recently served as the Secretary-General's Deputy Special Representative for the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) in charge of relief, reconstruction and development. From 2000 to 2002 Ms. Wahlstrom was a consultant on emergency response issues and strategic and organizational development.

Ms. Wahlstrom, from Sweden, succeeds Carolyn McAskie, who is now Mr. Annan's Special Representative for Burundi and chief of the UN Operation (ONUB) in the Central African nation. She holds a degree in Economic History, Social Anthropology and Political Science.