Biographical Note

SECRETARY-GENERAL APPOINTS NEW PEACEKEEPING CHIEF, ALAIN LE ROY OF FRANCE

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced today the appointment of Alain Le Roy of France as Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations.  Mr. Le Roy will replace Jean-Marie Guéhenno.

The Secretary-General is grateful for Mr. Guéhenno’s dedicated service to the Department of Peacekeeping Operations and for his important contribution to the achievement of its goals.  He recalled the strong sense of commitment and professionalism shown consistently by Mr. Guéhenno to the fulfilment of his responsibilities.

As the new Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Alain Le Roy brings to the job an extensive experience in public administration, management and international affairs, both at the political level and in the field.  After serving in the private sector as a petroleum engineer, he joined the public service as Sous-préfet, then as Counsellor at the Cour des comptes (French Audit office).

Mr. Le Roy was appointed as Deputy to the United Nations Special Coordinator for Sarajevo and Director of Operations for the restoration of essential public services.  He went on missions for the United Nations Development Programme in Mauritania and was appointed United Nations Regional Administrator in Kosovo (West Region).

After having been National Coordinator for the Stability Pact for South-East Europe in the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he was appointed European Union Special Representative in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.  He was subsequently appointed Assistant Secretary for Economic and Financial Affairs in the French Ministry for Foreign Affairs, before serving as the French Ambassador to Madagascar.

He is currently Conseiller Maître à la Cour des comptes and is serving as Ambassador in charge of the Union for the Mediterranean Initiative since September 2007.

He holds a degree in engineering from the Ecole nationale supérieure des Mines de Paris; a Diplôme d’Etudes Approfondies [Master of Advanced Studies] in economics from Paris 1 (Pantheon-Sorbonne University), an Agrégation d'économie et gestionand he also has completed the program for senior managers in Government at the Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.

Born in February 1953, he is married and has one son.

* *** *

For information media • not an official record