UK’s Tom Fletcher named new head of UN’s humanitarian agency

The United Nations names British diplomat and academic Tom Fletcher as head of its humanitarian agency, as the organization grapples with unprecedented crises and budget pressures.

“United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres today announced the appointment of Tom Fletcher of the United Kingdom as Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA),” the UN says in a statement.

Fletcher replaces Martin Griffiths, who stepped down at the end of June for health reasons.

Griffiths has faced sharp criticism from Israel for his actions and statements over the past year, including meeting with the Iranian foreign minister to discuss the future of Gaza, condemning “all sides” in a statement on October 7, 2023, and saying during an interview in February that “Hamas is not a terrorist group for us, of course, as you know. It’s a political movement.”

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