Biography USG Sha Zukang
A career diplomat, Mr. Sha Zukang became the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs on 1 July 2007. As such, he heads the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, which is responsible for the follow-up to the major United Nations Summits and Conferences, and services the Second and Third Committees of the General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council as well as the vast majority of its functional commissions and expert bodies. He also convenes the Executive Committee on Economic and Social Affairs, the UN Secretariat’s network for joint planning and initiatives on development.
In 2010, Mr. Sha Zukang was appointed Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development. The Conference, also known as Rio + 20, will be convened in Brazil in 2012.
Mr. Sha Zukang has extensive experience with multilateral organizations and international conferences. He was Chairman of the Preparatory Committee and Chairman of the Committee of the Whole, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) 11th session from 2003 to 2004, President of the Trade and Development Board, 50th Session of UNCTAD, Chairperson of the Government group of the Governing Body of the International Labour Organization from 2002 to 2003, and member of the UN Secretary-General’s Advisory Board on Disarmament matters from 1994 to 1999. In addition, he has served as president, vice-president, chairperson, coordinator and expert in many international conferences in the field of arms control, trade, intellectual property, social affairs, and telecommunications, among others.
Mr. Sha Zukang established the Department of Arms Control of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China and became its first Director-General. He participated, as chief negotiator or representative of the Chinese government, in the negotiation and review of many important international treaties on arms control and disarmament such as Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, Chemical Weapons Convention, Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention, Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons. He made great contributions to mine clearance in China and many parts of the world. He encouraged the development of Chinese non-governmental organizations, and facilitated the opening of offices in China by international organizations.
His postings in diplomatic missions abroad included London, Colombo, New Delhi, New York and Geneva. Prior to assuming his present position in the United Nations, he was Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Chinese Mission to the United Nations Office at Geneva.
Mr. Sha was born in September 1947. He is a native of Jiangsu Province and is married, with one son. He is a graduate of Nanjing University, China. He is fluent in English and has some proficiency in French.
