United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres today announced the appointment of Edmond Mulet of Guatemala as the head of the independent three-member panel to lead the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)-United Nations Joint Investigative Mechanism (JIM) established by Security Council resolution 2235 (2015) on the use of chemicals as weapons in the Syrian Arab Republic. By resolution 2319 (2016), the Security Council renewed the mandate of the JIM for a further period of one year on 17 November 2016.
The Secretary-General reiterates his deepest gratitude to the outgoing head of the JIM, Virginia Gamba of Argentina for her diligence, dedication and professionalism. Ms. Gamba will be taking the position of Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict.
Mr. Mulet most recently served as Chef de Cabinet to the former Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (2015-2016). He was Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations (2011-2015, 2007-2010), and served as Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) (2010-2011, 2006-2007). Prior to that, he was a diplomat, having been posted as Ambassador to the European Union and the United States. He was a member of Guatemala’s National Congress for 12 years, including one term as its President.
Born in 1951, Mr. Mulet was educated in Guatemala, Canada, the United States and Switzerland. In addition to his public service, he worked for many years as a journalist and as a legal counsellor in public institutions and in the private sector.
The appointment was made following the usual consultations and in coordination with the Director-General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.
The Secretary-General reiterates his call for all parties in Syria to cooperate fully with the Joint Investigative Mechanism and counts on the continued engagement and support of the members of the Security Council, as well as the entire United Nations Membership to ensure the effective implementation of the JIM’s mandate.