The United Nation’s new chief of humanitarian affairs Mr. Tom Fletcher took office on Monday.
Taking responsibility for his new post, Mr. Fletcher pledged to defend humanitarian values while navigating operations amid growing global crises and will also head the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). “Under no illusion I will defend humanitarian movement and values to make it more efficient, strategic, inclusive and innovative for international solidarity,” he added.
Fletcher is a former UK Ambassador and policy adviser to three British Prime Ministers.
The UN Secretary-General António Guterres appointed Fletcher to the post of UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator last month.
Before his appointment, Mr. Fletcher was Principal of Hertford College, Oxford, and Vice Chair of Oxford University’s Conference of Colleges.
Fletcher succeeds Martin Griffiths.
Citing health reasons Griffiths, also from the UK, resigned from the post in June.
Mr. Fletcher also worked closely with the UN during his UK diplomatic career in Africa, the Middle East, and Europe, including as Head of the Middle East Peace Process at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO).
(Source based on UN News)
