UNHCR's new Assistant High Commissioner

Geneva - The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Ruud Lubbers, announced today the appointment of Kamel Morjane of Tunisia as Assistant High Commissioner - UNHCR's third-highest-ranking position.

Ambassador Morjane, 53, is a veteran UN official who also served as Tunisia's representative to the United Nations in Geneva. Mr. Morjane had spent nearly 20 years with UNHCR. Most recently, he was the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Mr. Morjane is expected to take up his new duties on October 1st.

Mr. Morjane replaces Mr. Søren Jessen-Petersen of Denmark who joined the UN refugee agency in 1973 and held a string of senior positions, before becoming Assistant High Commissioner in 1998.

High Commissioner Lubbers thanked Mr. Jessen-Petersen for his invaluable contribution to UNHCR. "His leadership, advice and wisdom benefited a huge number of staff in the organisation," he said in a message to UNHCR staff.