BAN ANNOUNCES SENIOR OFFICIAL APPOINTMENTS FOR MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS AND DR CONGO

BAN ANNOUNCES SENIOR OFFICIAL APPOINTMENTS FOR MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS AND DR CONGO
New York, Sep 6 2012 1:10PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today announced the appointment of two senior United Nations officials – James W. Rawley of the United States as the Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, and Moustapha Soumaré of Mali as his Deputy Special Representative for the UN peacekeeping operation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Appointed at the rank of Assistant Secretary-General, Mr. Rawley will also serve as the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for the occupied Palestinian territory, according to information provided by Mr. Ban's spokesperson.

Mr. Rawley succeeds Maxwell Gaylard of Australia, who completed his assignment on 31 August. Mr. Soumaré will succeed Fidèle Sarassoro of Côte d'Ivoire, who will complete his assignment on 30 September this year. Mr. Ban's spokesperson said the UN chief is grateful for the service provided by Mr. Gaylard and Mr. Sarassoro.

The spokesperson added that Mr. Rawley brings over 30 years of humanitarian and development experience with the United Nations, as well as a crisis prevention perspective acquired in a number of complex situations, including in Yemen and Myanmar, having served most recently as the UN Resident Coordinator in Egypt.

The past work experience of both Mr. Rawley and Mr. Soumaré includes service with the UN Development Programme (UNDP).

Mr. Soumaré is currently the Secretary-General's Deputy Special Representative for Recovery and Governance in the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), a position he has held since August 2009.

In addition to serving as the Secretary-General's Deputy Special Representative for the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the DR Congo (MONUSCO), Mr. Soumaré will also serve as the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, as well as UNDP's Resident Representative.
Sep 6 2012 1:10PM
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