Secretary-General Appoints Caroline Ziadeh of Lebanon Special Representative, Head of United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres today announced the appointment of Caroline Ziadeh of Lebanon as his new Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK).

Ms. Ziadeh succeeds Zahir Tanin of Afghanistan, to whom the Secretary-General is grateful for his dedicated efforts to further peace and stability in Kosovo and the region, and his effective leadership of the Mission.

Having served since 2017 as Director of the Department of International Organizations, Conferences and Cultural Services in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants of Lebanon, Ms. Ziadeh brings to the position almost 30 years of experience in international diplomacy, including in the diplomatic service of Lebanon.  She also has extensive knowledge of the United Nations, having led national delegations to the United Nations on issues such as migration, sustainable development and the Ministry’s work related to human rights and the women, peace and security agenda.

A former Deputy Permanent Representative of Lebanon to the United Nations in New York (2006-2017), Ms. Ziadeh served at the embassies of Lebanon to the United Kingdom (2004-2006) and to Belgium and the European Union (1994-1999), as well as at the Permanent Mission of Lebanon in Vienna and the country’s embassies to Austria, Croatia and Slovakia (1999-2002).  She held additional positions at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants.

Ms. Ziadeh holds both a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in economy and political science from the Lebanese University in Beirut, and diplomas in international relations from the University Libre de Bruxelles and the Diplomatic Academy Vienna.  She is fluent in Arabic, English and French.