United Nations Secretary-General Ant贸nio Guterres announced on 07 November 2023 the appointment of Indrika Ratwatte of Sri Lanka as his new Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan with the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan聽(UNAMA) and Resident Coordinator in Afghanistan.聽 鈥疢r.聽Ratwatte will also serve as the Humanitarian Coordinator.
Mr.聽Ratwatte succeeds Ramiz Alakbarov of Azerbaijan, to whom the Secretary-General is grateful for his dedicated service.聽 鈥疶he Secretary-General also recognizes the service of Daniel Endres as ad-interim Deputy Special Representative, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator.
Mr.聽Ratwatte brings over 30聽years of experience in humanitarian affairs and protection in complex and crisis settings, including over 14聽years of working on Afghanistan and regional issues.聽 鈥疕e started his career with the United Nations in 1992, with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East聽(UNRWA), and continued his career with the Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees聽(UNHCR) in 1993.聽 鈥疕is most recent positions have included Director of the UNHCR Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific, where he previously also served as Deputy, and UNHCR Representative in Pakistan.聽鈥疕e served with UNHCR as Deputy Representative in the United Republic of Tanzania and Pakistan, along with prior assignments in Thailand, Croatia, China, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Mr.聽Ratwatte holds a master鈥檚 degree in international affairs from Columbia University, United States, and a bachelor鈥檚 degree in English and sociology from the University of Colombo, Sri Lanka.聽 鈥疕e is also an attorney-at-law from Sri Lanka Law College.
