Ban names head of MINURCAT

UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 29 (UPI) -- U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has named a special representative to the recently created peacekeeping mission to Chad and the Central African Republic.

Ban informed the U.N. Security Council Monday of his intention to appoint Victor Da Silva Angelo of Portugal special representative to MINURCAT. Angelo is currently serving as the secretary-general's executive representative for Sierra Leone and resident coordinator of the U.N. system in the country, the United Nations reported.

"The mission, known as MINURCAT, was established by the Council last September to help protect civilians and facilitate humanitarian aid to thousands of people uprooted due to insecurity in the two countries and neighboring Sudan," the release said.

Officials say the MINURCAT operation includes EU military forces along with civilian staff in an effort to address civil affairs, human rights and the rule of law along with other security concerns in the war-torn region.

Prior to Angelo's post with the U.N. mission in Sierra Leone, he served as U.N. humanitarian and resident coordinator in Zimbabwe among other positions in East Timor, New York, Tanzania, Gambia and the CAR.