Ban names American as new UN security chief

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today announced the appointment of Gregory B. Starr of the United States as chief of United Nations security, replacing David Veness, who resigned last year in the wake of the 2007 terrorist attack against UN facilities in Algiers.

“The Secretary-General is grateful for Mr. Veness’s committed service and tireless dedication, even after his resignation as the head of the Department of Safety and Security,” UN spokesperson Michele Montas told reporters in New York.

At that time, Mr. Ban asked Mr. Veness to stay on until such time as a stable succession could be ensured.

As the new Under-Secretary-General for Safety and Security, Mr. Starr brings to the job extensive experience managing global security operations of a civilian organization, developing security policy, and setting organizational standards.

Mr. Starr also has first-hand experience in formulating security policy and implementing programmes that will help ensure the work of the UN continues in a secure environment at Headquarters in New York and overseas.

Since 1980, Mr. Starr has been working in a security capacity with the US State Department, serving in domestic and overseas assignments. Before today’s appointment, he was the Director of the Diplomatic Security Service and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Diplomatic Security.

In this job he had been responsible for all international and domestic security programmes for the Department of State, protecting more than 285 US Embassies and Consulates abroad, 100 domestic facilities, and 85,000 employees, families, and contractors.