Ban hails election of new UN refugee chief

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday welcomed UN General Assembly's endorsement of Filippo Grandi of Italy as the next UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

Earlier Wednesday, the 193-member General Assembly endorsed Ban's nomination to appoint Grandi to lead the UN refugee agency UNHCR.

The 58-year-old diplomat is to replace Antonio Guterres of Portugal, who was high commissioner for refugees since 2005. He will take up the job on Jan. 1 for a term of five years.

Last week, the secretary-general, after consultations with chairs of the regional groups of UN member states, informed the General Assembly of his intention to appoint Grandi as the new UN refugee chief.

His appointment came at a time when the United Nations grapples with the world's worst ever refugee crisis.

Grandi was most recently commissioner-general of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) from 2010 to 2014 and its Deputy Commissioner-General from 2005 until 2010.

"Mr. Grandi brings vast experience to his new position from his work in refugee and humanitarian operations and policies, addressing human consequences of major conflicts, encompassing protection, emergency management, donor relations and political affairs," Ban's spokesman said in a statement issued here.

Born in 1957, Grandi holds a B.A. in Philosophy from the Gregorian University in Rome, a degree in modern history from the State University of Milan and an Honorary Degree from the University of Coventry. Endit