Australia Gets Key UN Post In Middle East

The Secretary-General of the United Nations has announced the appointment of Maxwell Gaylard of Australia as Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process. In his new capacity, Gaylard will also serve as UN Coordinator for humanitarian and development activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

Gaylard, a senior UN official with extensive experience in humanitarian and development coordination, has been serving as Deputy Special Coordinator ad interim since October 2007. He replaced Kevin Kennedy, an American and Irish national.

Before joining the UN Middle East Peace Process team, the Australian was the Director of Mine Action with the Department of Peacekeeping Operations. He had previously served as the Humanitarian and Resident Coordinator in Somalia and as the Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator in Iraq.

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