British MP O'Brien named UN humanitarian aid chief
O'Brien will replace Amos who served as under-secretary for humanitarian affairs, emergency relief
UNITED NATIONS (AFP) - UN chief Ban Ki-moon has appointed British lawmaker Stephen O Brien as the UN s top humanitarian aid official to lead global relief efforts at a time of worsening conflicts, the UN announced Monday.
O Brien will replace Valerie Amos who served as under-secretary for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief for the past four years, earning high praise for her commitment in one of the UN s most demanding posts.
"Mr O Brien is expected to bring innovative and strategic ideas as a strong humanitarian advocate with more than 20 years of experience in international development and health care," UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.
The British national will be tasked with leading a struggling relief effort in Syria along with major aid operations in South Sudan, Iraq, the Central African Republic and a dozen other trouble spots.
The 57-year-old Conservative politician served as Prime Minister David Cameron s envoy for the Sahel since 2012 and was parliamentary under-secretary of state for international development from 2010 to 2012.
The announcement was one of the most closely-watched appointments at the United Nations in recent years.
Humanitarian aid groups expressed concern in a letter to Ban in December that a political appointee would be chosen over a qualified official with strong humanitarian expert.
Non-governmental organizations had raised alarm following reports that Cameron was pushing for the appointment of Andrew Lansley, who is known for a failed health care reform in Britain.
Ban had set up a special panel led by his deputy Jan Eliasson and which included the president of the Red Cross and other aid officials to advise him on the choice of Amos successor.
O Brien will be the third British national since 2007 to hold the top post at the United Nations and was one of three candidates put forward by Cameron s government for the job.
British Ambassador Mark Lyall Grant said O Brien is "extremely well qualified for the role", citing his work as Sahel envoy and in the international development department.
Born in Tanzania, O Brien studied law and practiced as a solicitor before winning office in a by-election in 1999, as the member of parliament for Eddisbury.
