Stefan Priesner, Austrian named UN resident coordinator in India

By Anjali Sharma

UNITED NATIONS – According to the UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric on Tuesday in New York announced that Stefan Priesner of Austria has named as the UN resident Coordinator in India, in a press release issued by the spokesman’s office.

Stefan Priesner of Austria has taken over as the UN’s head in India, the statement said.

Priesner, who assumed charge as UN Resident Coordinator in India on Monday, succeeds Shombi Sharp, who concluded a four-year stint, Mr. Dujarric stated.

He had a 4 year stint as the head of UN in Iran, before assuming the same role in New Delhi.

Priesner has wide experience in South Asia, the statement noted.

He began his 28-year career with the UN in Bhutan, and served in Nepal and Bangladesh.

Priesner has been the resident coordinator for Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, and worked in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

He has a law degree from the University of Vienna and a master’s in international relations from Johns Hopkins University in the US.

The resident coordinator represents the UN at the highest levels of state and leads the representatives of UN agencies in the countries they are assigned to, while promoting the world UN development agenda.

UNSG Antonio Guterres also appointed Lt Gen Ganesh Kumar Shrestha of Nepal as the new force commander of the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei.

Security Council created the UNISFA in 2011 to protect civilians in the Abyei area that straddles Sudan and South Sudan and is claimed by both countries.

Shrestha, who succeeds Maj Gen Robert Yaw Affram of Ghana, heads an operation with 3,250 troops and 640 police.

He was the Master General of Ordinance in the Nepalese Army Headquarters.

Shrestha has served with the UN peacekeeping as a sector commander UN Mission in South Sudan.