Three senior UN appointments unveiled by Ban Ki-moon

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today announced the details of three new appointments to senior positions in the world body in positions ranging from peacekeeping to the new mission in Chad and the Central African Republic (CAR) to the ombudsman’s office.

Susana Malcorra of Argentina becomes the head of the Department of Field Support, an Under-Secretary-General level position in which she will direct all support for the various UN peace missions around the world. More than 100,000 military, civilian and police personnel currently work in 32 UN field operations.

Ms. Malcorra, who will take over from Jane Holl Lute, who has been leading the Department since its inception last July, presently serves as the Deputy Executive Director and the Chief Operating Officer of the World Food Programme (WFP).

Johnston Barkat of the United States becomes the new UN Ombudsman at the level of Assistant Secretary-General, with responsibility for the UN Secretariat as well as its many funds and programmes. In that post, he functions independently of any UN organ or official and has direct access to the Secretary-General as needed.

Mr. Barkat has worked as an ombudsman at Pace University in the US and has a background in mediation and conflict resolution.

Jordan’s Rima Salah has also been appointed as the new Deputy Special Representative in the UN Mission in the CAR and Chad (known as MINURCAT), which was set up last year by the Security Council to bolster security in the two countries, which also border the volatile Darfur region of Sudan.

Ms. Salah has worked for 20 years with the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and most recently served as Deputy Executive Director.