Saudi becomes UN humanitarian envoy in Middle East and North Africa

The United Nations humanitarian chief today welcomed the recent appointment of a special envoy tasked with ensuring there is more effective coordination between UN relief efforts and those of governments and aid groups in the Middle East and North Africa.

Abdulaziz bin Mohamed Arrukban of Saudi Arabia became the Secretary-General’s Special Humanitarian Envoy on 10 July, with a special focus on building partnerships for disaster response. His initial appointment is for one year.

Mr. Arrukban was previously Special International Ambassador for the UN World Food Programme (WFP).

John Holmes, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, said Mr. Arrukban brought extensive knowledge to the post.

“I expect that his renewed commitment to work with the United Nations will be of great benefit to the humanitarian community and especially to the suffering people we serve,” he said in a statement.