Ahmad Fawzi

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Ahmad Fawzi is an Egyptian-born media spokesperson, who, for six months in July 2017,[1] worked as Communication Adviser and Chief Spokesperson for the High Commissioner for Refugees.[2] In 2015–2016 he served as interim Director[3] of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva.

He has held senior positions in the United Nations and global media outlets around the world. Since 1992, he has managed crisis communications and served as the interface between the UN and the global media in conflict areas and during highly charged political negotiations. His work involves communicating the broad range of UN activities to the global media and public and, in countries in and emerging from conflict, including Afghanistan, Libya, Iraq and Timor Leste, promoting free, independent and pluralistic media.

United Nations[edit]

Fawzi has worked for three UN Secretaries-General: Boutros Boutros-Ghali, Kofi Annan[4] and Ban Ki-moon, and served as spokesperson and communication chief for leading peace negotiators including Kofi Annan, Lakhdar Brahimi, Jan Eliasson, Ian Martin and Sergio Vieira de Mello.[5] He first joined the Organization as Deputy Spokesperson for Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali, and was later appointed by Secretary-General Kofi Annan as director of the UN's information office in London (1997–2003).[6] He served as chief of the Department of Public Information's News and Media Division,[7] managing the UN's multilingual daily news and media products from 2003 to 2010.

Peacekeeping, peacebuilding and political missions[edit]

Fawzi has had numerous UN assignments in countries in and emerging from conflict, and during high-level peace and nation-building negotiations, including in Afghanistan, Iraq, Timor Leste and throughout the Middle East.

During 2012, he was communication advisor and spokesperson for to two successive envoys working to end the conflict in Syria: former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, and later senior diplomat Lakhdar Brahimi, as part of the Joint United Nations and League of Arab States mission.[8]

During the international efforts to resolve the conflict in Darfur, Sudan, Fawzi was spokesperson for the United Nations-African Union mediation team, headed by Jan Eliasson,[9] that brought the parties together in Sirte, Libya, for face-to-face talks in 2007.[10]

When Secretary-General Annan went to Baghdad in 1998 in a last-ditch effort to convince Iraqi President Saddam Hussein to open his palaces to UN weapons inspectors and avert a military strike, Fawzi was sent in advance to manage the intense media spotlight on the ground,[11] and during the visit worked with the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General at the time, Fred Eckhard.[12]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "MEDIA ADVISORY: Ahmad Fawzi joins UNHCR as Communication Advisor and Chief Spokesman for High Commissioner Grandi".
  2. ^ "MEDIA ADVISORY: Ahmad Fawzi joins UNHCR as interim Spokesperson for High Commissioner Grandi – ForeignAffairs.co.nz". foreignaffairs.co.nz. Archived from the original on 2017-02-01. Retrieved 2017-01-20.
  3. ^ "www.un.org". AHMAD FAWZI APPOINTED INTERIM DIRECTOR OF THE UNITED NATIONS INFORMATION SERVICE IN GENEVA. UN. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2015-04-15.
  4. ^ Eckhard, Frederic (2013). Kofi Annan: A Spokesperson's Memoir. Ruder Finn Press. pp. 23, 91, 254. ISBN 978-1932646566.
  5. ^ Power, Samantha (2008). Chasing the Flame, Sergio Vieira de Mello and the Fight to Save the World. The Penguin Press. pp. 396, 397, 399. ISBN 978-0143114857.
  6. ^ "AHMAD FAWZI APPOINTED DIRECTOR OF UN INFORMATION CENTRE IN LONDON | Meetings Coverage and Press Releases". www.un.org. Retrieved 2015-12-02.
  7. ^ "DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICES OF THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL AND THE SPOKESWOMAN FOR THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT | Meetings Coverage and Press Releases". www.un.org. Retrieved 2015-11-08.
  8. ^ "Highlights of the Press Briefing by Ahmad Fawzi, Spokesperson for United Nations and Arab League Joint Special Envoy Kofi Annan". ReliefWeb. Retrieved 2015-12-02.
  9. ^ "PRESS CONFERENCE ON OPENING OF DARFUR PEACE TALKS IN LIBYA | Meetings Coverage and Press Releases". www.un.org. Retrieved 2015-11-06.
  10. ^ Section, United Nations News Service (2007-11-05). "UN News – 'Door remains open' for Darfur rebels to join peace process, says UN official". UN News Service Section. Retrieved 2015-11-06.
  11. ^ "IRAQ: BAGHDAD: PREPARATIONS FOR KOFI ANNAN'S ARRIVAL | AP Archive". www.aparchive.com. Retrieved 2015-11-06.
  12. ^ Traub, James (1998-03-29). "Kofi Annan's Next Test". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2015-11-06.
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