Ex-Slovak Minister Kubis to Head U.N. Afghan Mission
The United Nations on Wednesday named former Slovak foreign minister Jan Kubis as new head of the key U.N. mission in Afghanistan.
Kubis, 59, will take over the U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) on January 1 aiming to boost international political efforts in the conflict-stricken country as the United States and other countries start to withdraw troops.
Kubis takes over as special representative for U.N. leader Ban Ki-moon from Swedish official Staffan de Mistura.
Ban said Mistura had finished his term "in one of the most challenging duty stations" during which Afghanistan held elections, a high-level international conference and started the transition to assuming security duties.
Kubis was Slovakia's foreign minister from 2006 to 2009, when he became executive secretary of U.N. Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). He has also worked with the European Union, the U.N. and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in duties that have included a stint in central Asia.
Source: Agence France Presse
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