After completing graduate and postgraduate studies in political science at Arhus University in 1966, he joined the staff of the University as an Assistant Professor in International Relations. In 1978, he joined the United Nations as Assistant Secretary-General for Programme Planning and Coordination. Between 1985 and 1992, he served as Assistant Secretary-General and Executive Director of the United Nations Centre on Transnational Corporations. In March 1994, he took over the post of Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and UN Emergency Relief Coordinator.
During his UN tenure, he has served as Chairman of the Organization's Appointment and Promotion Board and various committees and as the Secretary-General's representative to the World Food Programme. He also served as the Special Representative of the Secretary-General to the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee established to follow up the Washington Conference in support of the Middle East peace process.
PeterHansen, commissioner general of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), told AFP in an interview here Wednesday that his organisation did not have the funds to provide adequate shelter to refugees after the destruction of some 1,400 houses in Gaza.
But Hansen said that the scale of the damage wrought by the Israeli authorities could not be justified, regardless of the security concerns.
Hansen in particular angered Israel by describing the fierce clashes between the Palestinians and Israeli army at the Jenin refugee camp in April 2002 as a "massacre".
PeterHansen (born June 2, 1941 in Aalborg), a Danish national, was Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) from 1996-2005.
During his UN tenure, he has served as Chairman of the Organization's Appointment and Promotion Board and various committees and as the Secretary-General's representative to the World Food Programme.
Hansen was appointed Commissioner-General of UNRWA by UN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali on January 20, 1996 and took office on March 1, 1996.
Feeds |
Contact