United Nations: The United Nations has
named former Slovak foreign minister Jan Kubis as new head of
the key UN mission in Afghanistan.
Kubis, 59, will take over the UN Assistance Mission in
Afghanistan (UNAMA) on January 1 aiming to boost international
political efforts in the conflict-stricken country as the
United States and other countries start to withdraw troops.
Kubis takes over as special representative for UN
leader Ban Ki-moon from Swedish official Staffan de Mistura.
Ban said Mistura had finished his term "in one of the
most challenging duty stations" during which Afghanistan held
elections, a high-level international conference and started
the transition to assuming security duties.
Kubis was Slovakia`s foreign minister from 2006 to
2009, when he became executive secretary of UN Economic
Commission for Europe (UNECE). He has also worked with the
European Union, the UN and the Organisation for Security and
Cooperation in Europe in duties that have included a stint in
central Asia.
PTI
