UN Chief Appoints Veteran Diplomat Claudio Cordone as New Syria Envoy

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has appointed Italian diplomat Claudio Cordone as his new Deputy Special Envoy for Syria. Cordone replaces Najat Rochdi of Morocco in this key mediation role. Cordone is a veteran official with decades of experience in international organizations. He has previously held senior positions at the United Nations and with the global human rights group Amnesty International. In his new role, Cordone will support UN Special Envoy Geir Pedersen. His main task will be to help lead diplomatic efforts to find a peaceful solution to the ongoing conflict in Syria. The appointment comes as the UN continues its work to facilitate a political settlement to the war, now in its fourteenth year.