UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 7 (UPI) -- U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan announced that U.S. Undersecretary of State Josette Sheeran has been chosen executive director of the World Food Program.
Chief spokesman for the secretary-general Stephane Dujarric told reporters Tuesday of the joint appointment by Annan and Director-General of the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization Jacques Diouf. Sheeran was later confirmed by the executive board of the Rome-based U.N. food agency.
Sheeran, the current U.S. undersecretary of state for economic, business and agricultural affairs, succeeds retiring James Morris. At the State Department, Sheeran dealt with matters relating to international development, trade, agriculture, finance, energy, telecommunications and transportation.
"Leading the world's largest humanitarian organization for the past five years has been a tremendous privilege. I am confident that Josette Sheeran's wide experience -- especially her most recent role at the U.S. State Department and on the High Level Panel on U.N. reform -- will serve the organization and its beneficiaries well," the outgoing Morris said.
Her accomplishments aside, Sheeran will be expected to manage a sprawling operation that in 2005 assisted 97 million people with a total expenditure of $3.1 billion. In addition to providing food, the WFP handles logistics for a variety of U.N. agencies and non-governmental organizations.
