Biographical Note

Sofia Borges, the new Permanent Representative of Timor-Leste to the United Nations, today presented her credentials to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

Mansour Ayyad Al-Otaibi, the new Permanent Representative of Kuwait to the United Nations, today presented his credentials to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

The Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency has announced that Geoffrey Shaw (Australia) has been appointed Representative of the Director General to the United Nations and Director of the IAEA Office at United Nations Headquarters in New York.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today announced the appointment of Margot Wallström of Sweden as his Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict. Ms. Wallström has been a long-time advocate of the rights and needs of women throughout her political career -- first as Swedish Minister and later as Environment Commissioner and Vice-President of the European Commission.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is pleased to announce the appointment of Khawla Mattar as Director of the United Nations Information Centre in Cairo, Egypt. She assumed her new duties on 1 February 2010.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today announced the appointment of Haile Menkerios (South Africa) as his Special Representative for the Sudan. Mr. Menkerios will succeed Ashraf Jehangir Qazi (Pakistan), who has served as the Special Representative for the Sudan since 4 September 2007.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today appointed Major General Natalio C. Ecarma of the Philippines as Head of Mission and Force Commander of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF). Major General Ecarma will succeed Major General Wolfgang Jilke of Austria.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today announced the appointment of Staffan de Mistura of Sweden as his Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, following consultations with the Advisory Commission of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, is pleased to announce the appointment of Filippo Grandi (Italy) as the Agency’s new Commissioner-General, effective 20 January 2010.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today announced the appointment of Margot B. Ellis (United States) as Deputy Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.