Ban appoints seasoned French diplomat as new UN peacekeeping chief

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has appointed Hervé Ladsous as the new head of United Nations peacekeeping, tasking the veteran French diplomat with overseeing the efforts of over 100,000 personnel serving in more than a dozen operations worldwide.

Mr. Ladsous replaces Alain Le Roy, who stepped down from his post as Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations last month.

“As a seasoned diplomat, Mr. Ladsous brings to the position an extensive experience in the diplomatic field acquired during his service in a variety of countries,” Deputy UN spokesperson Eduardo del Buey, told reporters in New York.

“He also brings to the position an acute political judgement, strong crisis-management capacities, especially in the area of peacekeeping, [and] a profound understanding of the challenges facing the United Nations,” he added.

Mr. Ladsous was most recently serving as Chief of Staff for the Minister of Foreign Affairs of France, prior to which he was Ambassador to China.

He has served his country in numerous countries, including Australia, Switzerland, United States and Indonesia.