Secretary-General announces new UN chief of protocol

2010-05-12

SECRETARY-GENERAL ANNOUNCES NEW UN CHIEF OF PROTOCOL

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon appointed today Desmond Parker of Trinidad and Tobago as the top official for protocol at the United Nations.

Mr. Parker, who has served as Deputy Chief of Protocol since 2007, spent seven years in the Office of the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in his country of origin, which he represented as First Secretary and Alternate Representative to the Organization of American States (OAS).

He also served in various offices in UN peacekeeping operations in Haiti, Liberia and Nepal, as well as the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) and the Department of Field Support (DFS) in New York.

Mr. Parker takes on the post of Chief of Protocol, effective 1 April, from Alice Hecht of Belgium who retired last year.

Among its numerous roles, the UN Protocol and Liaison Service assists permanent and observer missions with the preparation of official visits to the Headquarters by heads of State or government and other dignitaries, and publishes a comprehensive list of diplomatic personnel and the composition of the principal organs of the United Nations known as the Blue Book.