UN Secretary General`s Special Representative in Cyprus Lisa Buttenheim`s appointment as Assistant Secretary General in the Department of Field Support in succession of Anthony Banbury was officially announced on Monday during a press briefing by UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric.
“In response to questions regarding the succession of former Assistant-Secretary-General in the Department of Field Support, Anthony Banbury, the Spokesman said that the Secretary-General has, in recognition of her long and successful service in the United Nations, decided to appoint Lisa Buttenheim as Assistant-Secretary-General in the Department of Field Support”, he said.
He added that Buttenheim “currently serves as the Special Representative of the Secretary-General leading the UN Peacekeeping Mission in Cyprus (UNFICYP), and, in that role, participates in the Secretary-General`s good offices on Cyprus as deputy to Special Envoy Espen Barth Eide.”
“Given the ongoing negotiations between the sides in which Ms. Buttenheim plays a key role, the Secretary-General has asked Ms. Buttenheim for now to continue with her work in Cyprus and delay her rotation back to New York”, he noted.
Diplomatic sources have said that Policy and Mediation Division Director Elizabeth Spehar has already been selected to succeed Buttenheim but will remain to New York for a few more weeks due to personal reasons.