New United Nations Co-ordinator for Afghanistan

Islamabad (Office of the United Nations Co-ordinator for Afghanistan), 18 June 2001-- United Nations Co-ordinator for Afghanistan Erick Eduard de Mul departed Islamabad on 15 June 2001. De Mul began serving as UN Co-ordinator for Afghanistan in October 1998. Having thirty years of experience with the United Nations, he had previously worked in Asia, Africa, Europe, and Central and South America. De Mul's next post will be as UN Co-ordinator for Angola.
"Sometimes people question why the UN continues working in some countries under such difficult conditions. The fact is that there is no way of denying help to people who need it. This is the role not only of the United Nations and all assistance actors. It is the duty of all human beings," said de Mul.

The new UN Co-ordinator for Afghanistan is Mike Sackett, who is Australian. Sackett served as Regional Manager for the World Food Programme in Islamabad, and before that as Country Director of the World Food Programme for Afghanistan. During his previous assignment in Nairobi, from 1993 to 1998, Sackett was WFP Regional Manager for the Horn of Africa, which included the humanitarian crises in Sudan and Somalia. In his 22 years in the United Nations, he has also worked in Tanzania, Bangladesh, and WFP headquarters in Rome, Italy.

On taking up his appointment, Sackett said that he shared the profound concern about the intensely difficult situation that many Afghans face in the months ahead.

"I hope to work with all the various players committed to improving the position of the people of Afghanistan," he said.