United Nations

 NEW YORK, 26 June (UN Headquarters) -- Secretary-General Kofi Annan has appointed Jean-Marie Guéhenno of France as Und123er-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, effective 1 October.

 Mr. Guéhenno, a French national, has a vast experience in the field of diplomacy, defence and international relations, as well as in administration and management.  He spent a part of his career in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of France as:  member of the policy planning staff (1979-1981); head of cultural affairs of the French Embassy in the United States (1982-1986); Director of the policy planning staff (1989-1993); and Ambassador to the Western European Union (1993-1995).

 Mr. Guéhenno was a member of the Commission responsible for the "White Paper On Defence" (1994), and has been the chairman of the Institut des hautes études de défense nationale since 1998.  He has also been a member of the United Nations Secretary-General's Advisory Board on disarmament matters since 1999.

 Mr. Guéhenno was educated at the École normale supérieure in Paris.  He became a member of the Cour des comptes (The French Audit Office) after his graduation from the École nationale d’administration in 1976.  He is presently in the section of the Court that audits the Ministry of Defence.

 Mr. Guéhenno is Chevalier de la légion d'honneur and Commandeur de l'ordre du merite allemand.

 Born in October 1949, Mr. Guéhenno is married and has one daughter.