Ban Ki-Moon Appoints 2 to Top U.N. Jobs

Brazil's Minister of Foreign Affairs Celso Luiz Nunes Amorim, left, shakes hands with the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at United Nations Headquarters in New York, Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2007. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) (Seth Wenig - AP)

UNITED NATIONS -- Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday appointed a British diplomat as the U.N.'s new humanitarian chief and chose a Mexican environmentalist who was his predecessor's chief of staff to spearhead U.N. reforms.

Sir John Holmes, who served as a top adviser to two prime ministers, will replace Norway's Jan Egeland as undersecretary-general for political affairs and emergency relief coordinator.

Alicia Barcena Ibarra will replace American Christopher Burnham as undersecretary-general for management. Burnham and Egeland, both highly respected, resigned last month as Kofi Annan's 10-year stint as U.N. chief was ending.

At a news conference where the appointments were announced, U.N. spokeswoman Michele Montas was peppered with questions about Barcena's lack of management expertise and ability to carry out extensive management reforms which Ban has said are critical to enable the organization meet the challenges of the 21st century. She was also quizzed about why Holmes was chosen even though he has no direct experience in humanitarian affairs.

Montas stressed the appointments were just two among many to be made by Ban, and he should be judged at the end _ not the beginning. Ban took over as U.N. chief at the start of the new year.

Barcena came to the United Nations in December 2005 as Annan's deputy chief of staff and became acting chief of staff in March 2006 when her boss, Mark Malloch Brown, became deputy secretary-general. A biologist by training, she previously served as deputy executive secretary of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean and Mexico's vice-minister of environment.

"Ms. Barcena has wide experience at the United Nations," Montas said. "Mr. Ban highly values her leadership and managerial skills and has confidence that she shares his vision and philosophy to strengthen and revitalize this organization."

At the news conference, however, Montas was asked why Ban had chosen someone associated with Annan and the old management. U.N. Staff Union President Stephen Kisambira called Tuesday for a "fundamental change" in the mind-set of senior U.N. management "from a relationship based on dominance, disregard and fear, to a real partnership."

Asked if Barcena has made a commitment to that sort of change, Montas replied: "I think she has."

Holmes, who has been Britain's ambassador to France since 2001, also served in Moscow, India and Portugal and was private secretary to former prime ministers John Major in the mid-1990s and Tony Blair from 1997 to 1999. He has no direct experience in humanitarian affairs.

"Throughout his diplomatic career, Mr. Holmes has offered a proven record of strategic vision, crisis management, multilateral negotiation, dedication and hard work," Montas said. "The secretary-general is confident that the international community will benefit both from his leadership and expertise."

British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett expressed delight that Ban chose "one of our most outstanding public servants and diplomats" for the "pivotal international position." Britain is a leading humanitarian donor and worked closely with Egeland "to improve the delivery and effectiveness of humanitarian aid," she said in a statement.

Britain is one of the five veto-wielding permanent members of the Security Council _ along with the United States, Russia, China and France _ who traditionally get top posts in the U.N. Secretariat.