New York, April 1 (SANA) UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has appointed Christian Saunders as acting Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), succeeding Philippe Lazzarini, whose term ended on Tuesday.
Saunders will serve as acting head of the agency from April 1 to June 30, 2026, and will assume the role of Acting Commissioner-General from July 1 until further notice, according to a UN statement.
Guterres thanked Lazzarini for his dedication and commitment to UNRWA and Palestinian refugees, reaffirming his support for the agency’s staff and their work providing health, education and humanitarian assistance under challenging conditions.
The secretary-general also stressed the importance of continued support from member states and partners for UNRWA and its services in a volatile region.
Saunders has served since July 2022 as the UN special coordinator for improving the organization’s response to sexual exploitation and abuse. He previously held roles including acting Commissioner-General of UNRWA and assistant secretary-general for operational support from 2019 to 2022.
He brings extensive experience within the UN system and in humanitarian fieldwork, having begun his career with Save the Children UK in Sudan and Mozambique before working with UNRWA in Gaza. He has also held positions with the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), peacekeeping operations and the UN Population Fund (UNFPA).
