31/03/2003
Press Release
SG/A/834



SECRETARY-GENERAL APPOINTS UNDER-SECRETARY-GENERAL SHASHI THAROOR

COORDINATOR FOR MULTILINGUALISM


The Secretary-General has appointed Under-Secretary-General Shashi Tharoor as Coordinator for Multilingualism.  The appointment is in implementation of General Assembly resolution 54/64 of 6 December 1999, by which the General Assembly requested the Secretary-General to appoint a senior Secretariat official as coordinator of questions relating to multilingualism throughout the Secretariat.


A national of India and a career international civil servant, Mr. Tharoor joined the United Nations in 1978 and rose through the ranks to his current position as Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information.  His new functions are in addition to his current responsibilities as head of the Department of Public Information (DPI).


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