SECRETARY-GENERAL APPOINTS NEW HEAD OF U.N. MISSION IN SOMALIA
The Secretary-General today announced the appointment of Michael Keating as his new Special Representative for Somalia and Head of the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) Mr. Keating will succeed Nicholas Kay, who will complete his assignment at the end of the year. The Secretary-General is grateful for Mr. Kay’s dedication, courage and excellent leadership of UNSOM over the past two and a half years, a critical period for Somalia’s political transformation.Mr. Keating brings to this position extensive experience in supporting political and peacebuilding transitions, as well as leading complex humanitarian and recovery programs in Afghanistan, the Middle East, and Africa.While Associate Director of Chatham House since 2012, he concurrently served as Senior Advisor to the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy to Syria.He was Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary General and UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Afghanistan from 2010 until 2012.
Press release U.N
Hopefully he does a better job working with the somalis than his predecessor who thought he was a colonial envoy rather than a representative for the goodwill of all the nations towards Somalia.