The June edition of Blue Smoke, “Time Is Running Out”, presents some information around the appointment of the dual job of UN Humanitarian Chief and Emergency Relief Coordinator for the third consecutive month.
This is one of the most important jobs in the world, as it leads the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), which is responsible for ensuring governments, NGOs, and UN agencies work together in responding to conflicts and natural disasters. The post falls vacant at the end of June. With at least five candidates in the running, the decision is expected to be postponed until after the UK general elections on July 4, potentially leaving the role briefly unfilled.
This delay strongly suggests that the UN Secretary-General is once again giving special consideration to British candidates, a move criticized by a group of over 60 former senior UN officials, humanitarian experts, and civil society leaders who have sent an open letter in protest.
The newsletter also reports that Anacláudia Marinheiro Centeno Rossbach of Brazil was chosen by the Secretary-General as Executive Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) and elected by the General Assembly by acclamation for a four-year term, starting soon. You can read the complete newsletter here.
Blue Smoke is an initiative led by UNA-UK, Plataforma CIPÓ, and a consultant from Strategy for Humanity to promote greater accountability and transparency at the UN, particularly regarding elections and appointments to senior positions. The monthly newsletter is published in partnership with Pass Blue.
