Secretary-General Appoints Ali H. Al-Za'tari of Jordan as Deputy Special Representative for Libya

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced today the appointment of Ali H. Al-Za’tari of Jordan as his new Deputy Special Representative and Deputy Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), where he will also serve as United Nations Resident Coordinator, Humanitarian Coordinator and Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Mr. Al-Za’tari succeeds Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed of Mauritania who served as Deputy Special Representative from March to December 2014.  The Secretary-General is grateful for Mr. Ould Cheikh Ahmed’s dedicated service during his tenure in Libya and for his contribution to the coordination of the United Nations system in that country.

Mr. Al-Za’tari brings with him 35 years of experience with the United Nations in development and humanitarian assistance in the Middle East and Africa.  Most recently, he served as United Nations Resident Coordinator, Humanitarian Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Sudan (2012-2015) and as Deputy Assistant Administrator and Deputy Director in UNDP’s Bureau of Management (2007-2012).

He has also served as United Nations Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Syria (2004-2007) and Senior Policy Adviser in UNDP’s Regional Bureau for Arab States Directorate (2001-2003).  Prior to this, he was posted in Libya, Iraq and Kuwait.

Mr. Al-Za’tari holds a diploma in environmental economics from Harvard University, a master’s degree in social sciences from Syracuse University and a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts from Western Maryland College.