SG/SM/9943
     AFR/1197
     HAB/197
     21 June 2005

Secretary-General Appoints UN-Habitat Head As Special Envoy for Human Settlements Issues in Zimbabwe

NEW YORK, 20 June (UN Headquarters) -- The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan:

The Secretary-General has appointed Anna Kajumulo Tibaijuka, the Executive Director of UN-HABITAT, as his Special Envoy for Human Settlement Issues in Zimbabwe.  President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe has agreed that the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General should visit the country as soon as possible to study the scope of the recent eviction of illegal dwellers, informal traders and squatters, and the humanitarian impact it has had on the affected population.  Mrs. Tibaijuka will visit Zimbabwe shortly, and will prepare a thorough report on the situation.

* *** *