UN mourns death of senior U.S. diplomat, outstanding UN supporter Reed

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday said that he was "profoundly saddened" at the passing of Ambassador Joseph Verner Reed, who served in 1987 as the former UN under-secretary-general of the then UN Department of Political and General Assembly Affairs.

Reed "was both my good friend and an outstanding supporter of the United Nations," Ban said in a statement read to the reporters here by his spokesman.

Ambassador Reed's long and distinguished service to the United Nations encompassed four secretaries-general and many roles, complementing a career in the private sector and the foreign service of the United States, Ban noted.

As President of the Staff Management Coordination Committee, he helped foster relations with the international civil service. He also served one of his most cherished endeavours was the annual celebration of UN Day at the Julian Curtiss School in Greenwich, the U.S. state of Connecticut, where he brought people together to celebrate the world body.

"Ambassador Reed also capably represented me on many occasions at events across the world aimed at promoting global harmony and peace," the statement said.

"His imprint on the United Nations extended to the Headquarters complex itself. As a member of the UN Arts Committee, he worked with donors and others to showcase the UN collection," the statement said.

As it happens, just on Thursday evening, he sent an email to several UN colleagues working with him toward a further enhancement of the UN's physical appearance, Ban said in the statement. "With characteristic cheer, he expressed his full support for the idea."

"I am told that he died peacefully shortly afterwards, and that his email may have been his last act: he was a champion of the United Nations to his very last breath," he said.

Ambassador Reed was a skilled diplomat, a global citizen, an art lover and a dear friend, the secretary-general said. "I offer condolences to his family, and join his admirers across the world in mourning his loss and giving thanks for his life."

Reed, born on Dec. 17, 1937, served as UN under-secretary-general and special representative for public affairs from 1992 to 1997.

From 1997 to 2004, he was president of the Staff-Management Coordination Committee of the United Nations. In January 2005, he was appointed as UN under-secretary-general and special adviser. He was re-appointed as such in 2009. Endit