Biographical Note

The new Permanent Representative of Albania to the United Nations, Suela Janina, presented her credentials to UN Secretary-General António Guterres today.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, following consultation with the Bureau of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, announced today the appointment of Astrid Schomaker of Germany as the Executive Secretary of the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced today the appointment of Ana Peyró Llopis of Spain as Acting Special Adviser and Head of the United Nations Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by Da’esh/Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (UNITAD). UNITAD was established pursuant to Security Council resolution 2379 (2017) to support domestic efforts to hold ISIL (Da’esh) accountable by collecting, preserving, and storing evidence in Iraq of acts that may amount to war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide committed by the terrorist group ISIL (Da’esh) in Iraq.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has appointed Rasul Baghirov of Azerbaijan as the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Belarus, with the host Government’s approval. His start date is 29 March.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced today the appointment of Kamal Kishore of India as Assistant Secretary-General and Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction, United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR).

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced today the appointment of Robert Petit of Canada as Head of the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism to Assist in the Investigation and Prosecution of Persons Responsible for the Most Serious Crimes under International Law Committed in the Syrian Arab Republic since March 2011.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has appointed François Batalingaya of Rwanda as the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Chad, with the host Government’s approval. His start date is tomorrow.

The new Permanent Representative of Argentina to the United Nations, Ricardo Ernesto Lagorio, presented his credentials to UN Secretary-General António Guterres today.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres today announced the appointment of Mô Bleeker of Switzerland as his Special Adviser on the Responsibility to Protect. Ms. Bleeker will succeed George William Okoth-Obbo of Uganda, to whom the Secretary-General is deeply grateful.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced today the appointment of Najla Nassif Palma of Brazil as Victims’ Rights Advocate for the United Nations. She succeeds Jane Connors of Australia, to whom the Secretary-General has expressed his appreciation for her service and commitment as the Organization’s first Victims’ Rights Advocate.