Biographical Note

Secretary-General Appoints Robert Watkins of Canada

 

as Deputy Special Coordinator for Lebanon

 

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today announced the appointment of Robert Watkins of Canada as Deputy Special Coordinator for Lebanon, where he will also serve as the United Nations Resident Coordinator and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative.

The new Deputy Special Coordinator succeeds Marta Ruedas of Spain, who will complete her assignment at the end of the year.  The Secretary-General is grateful to Ms. Ruedas for her dedicated service over the past three years and three months.

Mr. Watkins brings with him more than five years of experience with the United Nations in post-conflict recovery programme areas, including Georgia and Afghanistan, having served most recently as Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Afghanistan, United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, and UNDP Resident Representative.

Earlier in his career, Mr. Watkins worked for the European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid Office, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and other international organizations.  He has been posted both in headquarters and in the field, serving in Gabon, Sudan, Iraq, Turkey, the Dominican Republic and Jordan prior to joining the United Nations.

A citizen of Canada, Mr. Watkins holds a Master of Arts degree in international relations from the Carleton University School of International Affairs and a Bachelor of Arts in history from the University of Toronto.

Born in Canada in 1955, Mr. Watkins is married and has three children.

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*     This supersedes Press Release SG/A/1186-BIO/4083 of 27 May 2009.

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