Mr. Le Roy, 55, will replace Jean-Marie Guéhenno of France, who has held the post since October 2000.

“The Secretary-General is grateful for Mr. Guéhenno’s dedicated service to the Department of Peacekeeping Operations [DPKO] and for his important contribution to the achievement of its goals,” UN spokesperson Michele Montas told reporters. “He recalled the strong sense of commitment and professionalism shown consistently by Mr. Guéhenno to the fulfilment of his responsibilities.”

As the new Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Mr. Le Roy brings to the job an extensive experience in public administration, management and international affairs, both at the political level and in the field.

After serving in the private sector as a petroleum engineer, he joined the public service as Sous-préfet, then as Counsellor at the Cour des comptes (French Audit Office). He is currently Conseiller Maître à la Cour des comptes and has served since September last year as Ambassador in charge of the Union for the Mediterranean Initiative – a proposed community of European Union member States and countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea which is set to be established next month.

He has previously served the world body as Deputy to the UN Special Coordinator for Sarajevo and Director of Operations for the restoration of essential public services. He also went on missions for the UN Development Programme (UNDP) in Mauritania and was appointed UN Regional Administrator in Kosovo (West Region).

After having been National Coordinator for the Stability Pact for South-east Europe in the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he was appointed EU Special Representative in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. He was subsequently appointed Assistant Secretary for Economic and Financial Affairs in the French Ministry for Foreign Affairs, before serving as the French Ambassador to Madagascar.

Mr. Le Roy holds a degree in Engineering from the Ecole nationale supérieure des Mines de Paris; and a DEA (Master of Advanced Studies) in Economics from Paris I. He also completed the program for senior managers in government at the Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.

News Tracker: past stories on this issue

UN honours 60 years of service by peacekeepers with ceremonies worldwide