United Nations A/56/111

Nairobi, 24 July 2002-- Mrs. Anna K. Tibaijuka, was unanimously elected by the General Assembly as Executive Director of UN-HABITAT at the level of Under-Secretary-General for a term of office of four years beginning on 1 September 2002. The election and enhancement in status of the Executive Director of UN-HABITAT to the level of Under-Secretary-General is part of an earlier resolution which transformed the UN Centre for Human Settlements into a fully-fledged UN Human Settlements Programme. This decision shows the General Assembly’s commitment to the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals including the urgent need to improve the lives of over 100 million slum dwellers by 2020.

The election of the Executive Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) was one of the agenda items of the 109th Plenary meeting of the General Assembly yesterday, 23 July 2002. Delegates were unanimous in their support for the decision. Amongst others, the United Republic of Tanzania and Kenya congratulated the Executive Director upon her appointment and the quality of her leadership. Delegates also requested the General Assembly to provide UN-HABITAT and its Executive Director with the necessary support to help the urban poor.

Mrs. Tibaijuka’s election as Under-Secretary-General is an indication of the General Assembly’s confidence in her leadership of the organization during the last 2 years. Since her appointment by the UN Secretary-General, as Executive Director, at the level of Assistant-Secretary General, in September 2000, UN-HABITAT has gone from strength to strength. Under Mrs. Tibaijuka’s leadership UN-HABITAT gained in donor confidence with a number of countries increasing their contributions. Subsequently, the General Assembly elevated the UN Centre for Human Settlements into a fully-fledged UN Programme. Earlier this year, UN-HABITAT also hosted the first-ever World Urban Forum that highlighted the urgent need for sustainable urbanization.

A Tanzanian national, Mrs. Tibaijuka holds a Doctorate of Science in Agricultural Economics from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in Uppsala and an Honorary Doctorate from McGill University. Prior to joining Habitat, Mrs. Tibaijuka was the Special Coordinator for Least Developed Countries, Landlocked and Small Island Developing Countries at the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). In this role, Mrs. Tibaijuka was responsible for strengthening the capacity of LDCs in trade negotiations with the World Trade Organisation.

Background:

In resolution 56/206 of 21 December 2001, the General Assembly decided to transform the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements into the United Nations Human Settlements Programme, UN-HABITAT. In the same resolution, the Assembly also decided that the UN-HABITAT secretariat should be headed by an Executive Director at the level of Under-Secretary-General to be elected by the Assembly for a term of four years upon nomination by the Secretary-General after consultation with Member States.

UN-HABITAT is the agency of the United Nations charged with co-ordinating and harmonizing human settlement activities within the United Nations system. It is also responsible for facilitating the global exchange of information on shelter and sustainable human settlements development and assisting countries with policy and technical advice in solving their human settlements problems.

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