Foreign
UN chief appoints famine prevention and response coordinator
General Antonio Guterres
– UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres announced on Tuesday the appointment of Australia‘s Reena Ghelani as UN Famine Prevention and Response Coordinator.
The UN Famine Prevention and Response Coordinator is a new position and will be based in Nairobi, Kenya, said Stephane Dujarric, a spokesman for Guterres.
Ghelani will lead and organize a cohesive UN system-wide response to rising food insecurity, as well as drought and famine. He will work closely with regional and global humanitarian and development partners, as well as regional agencies and governments, to ensure a coordinated approach to prevent the worst impacts of food insecurity, Dujarric said.
Up to 222 million women, men and children are projected to face acute food insecurity this year and multiple famines are looming. The situation in the Horn of Africa is especially worrying, with millions of lives at risk, she said.
Ghelani brings to this post 25 years of extensive experience in international affairs, having served in many countries and in many fields, including humanitarian affairs, child protection, refugee assistance and human rights, he said.
Ghelani is currently the director of operations and advocacy for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. â–
(Xinhua)
