On 30 August, the United Nations welcomed Li Junhua as Under-Secretary-General of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA).
Here are 4 things to know about Mr. Li and his role:
1. Brings a vision of multilateral collaboration
DESA’s new Under-Secretary-General joins the Organization with a perspective on fostering multilateral economic and social cooperation.
He is committed to engaging with all parties to further implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and to serve UN Member States.
2. Extensive portfolio at DESA to serve people and the planet
As Under-Secretary-General, Mr. Li guides the UN Secretariat’s support for the follow-up processes of the 2030 Agenda, including the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development.
He oversees substantive services to many intergovernmental processes.
Li oversees DESA’s policy analysis and capacity development work and serves as the Convenor of the Executive Committee on Economic and Social Affairs.
He also advises the Secretary-General on all development-related issues, including climate change, internet governance, and financing for development.
3. Experienced diplomat on the world stage
Li brings extensive experience to DESA, having contributed to numerous meetings of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, the General Assembly and Security Council, as well as other multilateral meetings.
Before joining the department, he was the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of China to Italy and San Marino.
Prior to this, he was the Director General of the Department of International Organizations and Conferences, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China (2013-2019).
4. International career began at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Li began his career at the Foreign Affairs Ministry in 1985. Since then, he has served in various capacities.
He has a Master’s in International Public Policy, School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University.
Learn more on DESA’s public website.
