Secretary-General Saddened by Death of Sir Marrack Goulding, Key Figure

 

in Creating Department of Peacekeeping Operations

 

The following statement was issued on 13 July by the Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:

The Secretary-General was saddened to learn of the death of Sir Marrack Goulding of the United Kingdom, the first Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations of the United Nations.

Sir Marrack was initially appointed Under-Secretary-General for Special Political Affairs in charge of Peacekeeping Operations in 1986 after a distinguished career in the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office.  He played a decisive role in shaping the new Department of Peacekeeping Operations when it was created in 1992.

Known to all his colleagues as MIG, he led an area of exponential growth at an exceptionally challenging time of change for the Organization and for the world as a whole.  His sure-footed diplomatic judgement and firm leadership were indispensable assets as he distinguished himself on delicate assignments ranging from Namibia’s post-independence settlement to the Iran-Iraq conflict, while also involved in the United Nations work in Cambodia, Central America, Lebanon and the former Yugoslavia.

From 1993 to 1996 Sir Marrack was Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs and continued to inspire a generation of younger colleagues before moving on to serve for 20 years as Warden of St Antony’s College at Oxford.

The Secretary-General extends his deepest condolences to Sir Marrack’s family and to the Government of the United Kingdom, as he joins colleagues and friends around the world in paying tribute to a pioneer among international civil servants.

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For information media • not an official record