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UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

HORN OF AFRICA: Former Finnish President appointed UN envoy

NAIROBI, 19 June 2003 (IRIN) - UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has appointed the former Finnish president, Martti Ahtisaari, as his special envoy for the humanitarian crisis in the Horn of Africa, in response to a severe drought that has affected large parts of Eritrea and Ethiopia, UN News reported on Wednesday.

At least 14 million people are threatened with starvation, with some 12.5 million people in Ethiopia and 2.3 million people in Eritrea needing food aid, according to the World Food Programme.

Ahtisaari -who has also served as a special representative to Namibia and the former Yugoslavia - previously served as UN under-secretary general for administration and management, UN News said.

Elected president of Finland in 1994, Ahtisaari held office for six years. He has also held various positions in the country's ministry of foreign affairs, including that of ambassador to Tanzania.

Theme(s): (IRIN) Food Security

[ENDS]

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