Mr. Mohamed Abdel-Ahad (center), the new UNFPA Regional Director for the Arab States, took up his assignment today. He follows Mr. Hafedh Chekir, whose tour of duty ended in October 2012.

Having served as UNFPA Representative in Myanmar, Iran, and Palestine, Mr. Abdel-Ahad brings to his assignment a wealth of experience. His professional life spans years of increasingly responsible positions held within the United Nations system at headquarters in New York, in the Arab States, and in Asia-Pacific. In addition, he worked with the Egyptian Mission to the United Nations and the Egyptian Ministry of Information.

The Regional Director is responsible for leading and managing the Regional Office and for providing oversight on the direction, strategic design and planning of UNFPA country programmes in the region as well as contribution to and integration of UNFPA interventions in the broader UN development framework and reform.

The Arab States Regional Offices covers countries which are diverse and complex. UNFPA currently has Country Offices in 15 countries in the Arab States, with one serving as an Area Office for the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states.