Jordanian appointed as UN coordinator in Libya

AMMAN — UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon announced Friday the appointment of a Jordanian, Ali H. Al Za’tari, 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).

According to a UN statement, Za’tari succeeds Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed of Mauritania, who served in the post from March to December 2014. 

Za’tari “brings with him 35 years of experience with the United Nations in development and humanitarian assistance in the Middle East and Africa”, the statement said.  

Most recently, he served as UN 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 UN 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.

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.