Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator
The Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator is a high-level position in the United Nations that heads the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator of the United Nations | |
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![]() Martin Griffiths since July 2021 | |
Inaugural holder | Jan Eliasson 1992 |
Formation | General Assembly Resolution 46/182.[1] December 1991 |
Website | unocha.org |
The current holder is Martin Griffiths of the United Kingdom, who took office in July 2021, following his appointment by UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
History
The post of Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator (ERC) was created by UN resolution 46/182 in December 1991 to coordinate the efforts of the United Nations, member states and the wider humanitarian community in response to natural and man-made emergencies.
The post is one of five cabinet-level UN positions that are traditionally held by nationals from the five permanent members of the Security Council; since 2007, five British nationals have been appointed to that position.[2] Before 2007, British nationals held the position of Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs for more than a decade.[3]
List of Under-Secretaries-General
# | Name | Nationality | Office entered | Office left |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Jan Eliasson | ![]() |
1992 | 1994 |
2 | Peter Hansen | ![]() |
1994 | 1996 |
3 | Yasushi Akashi | ![]() |
1996 | 1998 |
4 | Sérgio Vieira de Mello | ![]() |
1998 | January 2001 |
5 | Kenzo Oshima | ![]() |
January 2001 | June 2003 |
6 | Jan Egeland | ![]() |
June 2003 | December 2006 |
7 | John Holmes | ![]() |
January 2007[4] | September 2010 |
8 | Valerie Amos | ![]() |
September 2010[5][6] | May 2015 |
9 | Stephen O'Brien | ![]() |
May 2015[7] | September 2017 |
10 | Mark Lowcock | ![]() |
September 2017[8] | July 2021 |
11 | Martin Griffiths | ![]() |
July 2021 | Current |
References
- United Nations General Assembly Session 46 Resolution 182. Strengthening of the coordination of humanitarian emergency assistance of the United Nations A/RES/46/182 19 December 1991. Retrieved 2008-04-09.
- Patrick Wintour (May 12, 2021), Yemen envoy Martin Griffiths to take on top UN humanitarian job The Guardian.
- Warren Hoge (February 10, 2007), U.N. Chief Gives Key Post to American New York Times.
- Warren Hoge (February 10, 2007), U.N. Chief Gives Key Post to American New York Times.
- "Daily Press Briefing by the Offices of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General". United Nations, Department of Public Information, News and Media Division. 26 July 2010. Retrieved 19 August 2010.
- Nicholas Watt (July 9, 2010), Lady Amos given top UN humanitarian affairs job The Guardian.
- Michelle Nichols (March 9, 2015), MP Stephen O'Brien named new U.N. aid chief Reuters.
- Ben Parker (May 10, 2017), UK technocrat appointed UN humanitarian chief - reports The New Humanitarian.