Press Releases
The announcement of the appointment of Mr. Tadamichi Yamamoto, as next Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) for Afghanistan and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA)
(Statement by Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida)
1. The Government of Japan welcomes the announcement by the Secretary-General of the United Nations on March 19 (March 18 local time) that Mr. Tadamichi Yamamoto, will be appointed as Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) for Afghanistan and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).
2. Mr. Yamamoto served as Special Representative of the Government of Japan for Afghanistan and Pakistan from 2010 to 2012, and he successfully organized the Tokyo Conference on Afghanistan in July 2012. Subsequently, he has been serving as the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General (DSRSG) for UNAMA since October 7, 2014.
3. Japan will continue to support the activities of UNAMA. In close cooperation with the international community, Japan will continue to proactively tackle the issues related to Afghanistan, which is one of the most important challenges facing the international community in terms of peace and security, from the viewpoint of making Afghanistan self-reliant and making sure that it will never become a hotbed for terrorism again.
4. Mr. Yamamoto will be the first Japanese to be appointed as SRSG in 10 years, since 2006.
(References)
Japanese citizens who have been made SRSGs in the past are
(1) Mr. Sukehiro Hasegawa, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Timor-Leste and Head of the United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET) (2004-2006)
(2) Mr. Yasushi Akashi, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Cambodia and Head of the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) (1992-1994)
(3) Mr. Yasushi Akashi, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the Former Yugoslavia (1994-1995)