KATHMANDU, JUL 22 -
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navanethem Pillay is appointing a new representative for her office in Nepal. Incumbent OHCHR-Nepal Chief Richard Bennett will soon leave Nepal office to head a high-level “Panel of Experts” formed under the OHCHR to advise the UN Secretary-General on Sri Lanka, according to the UN Headquarters in New York.

Bennett and other experts of the panel are currently in New York “for initial meetings and briefings” regarding the preparation for the commencement of the panel’s work in Sri Lanka, said Martin Nesirky, spokesperson for the Secretary-General at a press briefing in the UN Headquarters.

OHCHR Nepal also confirmed that “The process of appointment of (new) OHCHR Nepal representative is underway.” “The High Commissioner will soon appoint her representative in Nepal,” said OHCHR Nepal Spokesman Chun Gurung. “Richard Bennett, the representative of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, is coming back to Nepal next week to hand over his responsibilities.”

Bennett and other experts who have gathered in the UN Headquarters are busy constituting the panel, pulling together the “small staff team” that will be working with them fulltime.

“Chief of Staff of the Panel of Experts,” Nesirky said, “is Bennett, who until now was the Representative of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Nepal.” Bennett also held a similar position in Afghanistan before.

The panel members include Under Secretaries-General for Political, Humanitarian and Legal Affairs, Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Chef de Cabinet, and the Political Director in the Office of the Secretary-General.

 

Posted on: 2010-07-23 08:09

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