UN chief names adviser for UN summit on refugees, migrants

United Nations, Jan 6: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has announced the appointment of Karen AbuZayd as special adviser on the summit on addressing large movements of refugees and migrants, which will be held at the UN General Assembly in September.

The special adviser will work with UN entities and undertake consultations with Member States and other relevant stakeholders in the lead up to the summit, Xinhua cited Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the secretary-general, as saying on Tuesday.

“This will include overseeing the secretary-general’s report on large movements of refugees and migrants, to be submitted to the General Assembly in May 2016,” said Dujarric.

AbuZayd has extensive UN experience in humanitarian and human rights work in numerous countries.

She was appointed commissioner-general of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in 2005 and served in that position till 2010.

Since 2011, she has served as a commissioner on the Independent Inquiry Commission on Syria.  (IANS)