SECRETARY-GENERAL APPOINTS JOSÉ ANTONIO OCAMPO OF COLOMBIA NEW UNDER-SECRETARY-GENERAL FOR ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS

Biographical Note

SECRETARY-GENERAL APPOINTS JOSÉ ANTONIO OCAMPO OF COLOMBIA NEW

UNDER-SECRETARY-GENERAL FOR ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS

The Secretary-General today announced the appointment of José Antonio Ocampo of Colombia as the new Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, succeeding Nitin Desai, effective 1 September 2003.   

Mr. Ocampo has been serving since 1 January 1998 as Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC). 

Earlier in his career, Mr. Ocampo held a number of posts in the Government of Colombia, including those of Minister of Finance and Public Credit, Director of the National Planning Department and Minister of Agriculture.  His academic pursuits have included service as Director of the Foundation for Higher Education and Development, Professor of Economics at the Universidad de los Andes and the Universidad Nacional de Colombia and Visiting Professor at Cambridge, Yale and Oxford Universities.

Mr. Ocampo obtained his doctorate in economics from Yale University and has been honoured with the Alejandro Angel Escobar National Science Award.  He is the author of numerous books and articles on macroeconomic policy and theory, economic development, international trade and economic history. 

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