SRSG for Disaster Risk Reduction

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Biography

Margareta Wahlström has over 30 years of extensive national and international experience in humanitarian relief operations in disaster and conflict areas, and in institution-building to strengthen national capacity for disaster preparedness, response and for risk reduction.

In November 2008, the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced her appointment as the first Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction. Ms. Wahlström is based in Geneva and heads UNISDR, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction.

Ms. Wahlström has an academic background in economic history, political science, social anthropology, archaeology and philosophy of science. She speaks English, Swedish, French and Spanish. She is from Sweden.

Previous appointments

• Member and Coordinator of the Independent Panel on Safety and Security of UN Personnel and Premises, Chaired by Mr. Lakhdar Brahimi, 2008
• Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator and Assistant-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), 2004-2008
• United Nations Special Coordinator for the Assistance to the Tsunami-Affected Communities, 2004-2005
• Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Relief, Recovery and Rehabilitation, United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), 2003-2004
• Under-Secretary-General for Disaster Response and Operations and Deputy Director Operations, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, 1995-2000

News
Global Platform calls for immediate start on developing targets for risk reduction 23 May 2013
Bangladesh tragedy underlines how deficient building codes can fuel disasters 25 Apr 2013
UN convenes major conference on economic losses from disasters 23 Apr 2013

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