Kenzo Oshima, a Japanese career diplomat, has been appointed as U.N. undersecretary general in charge of humanitarian affairs and relief operations, the United Nations announced Wednesday.
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| Kenzo Oshima |
Oshima, 57, who currently oversees international peacekeeping and humanitarian assistance operations from the Prime Minister's Office in Tokyo, will assume his new post in mid-January.
The post is currently held by Sergio Vieira de Mello, who serves as the U.N. special representative in East Timor, a post he will retain.
Oshima is the fourth Japanese to become a U.N. undersecretary general. The others include Yasushi Akashi, ex-U.N. special representative in Cambodia, and Kensaku Hogen, head of the U.N. public information department.