29/4/2005
Kemal Dervis From Turkey Chosen To Head UNDP

Choosing from over 100 nominations by Governments and other institutions, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan this week named a Turkish former World Bank executive, who was responsible for developing new poverty reduction strategies, to head the UN Development Programme (UNDP) for the next four years. The nomination of Kemal Dervis, 56, now goes before the 191-member General Assembly for approval.

Mr. Dervis was Turkey's Finance Minister from March 2001 to August 2002, when he was credited with leading his country out of a major economic crisis. He was chosen in preference to three other European candidates to succeed Mark Malloch-Brown, who was recently appointed Mr. Annan's Chief of Staff.

He previously served for 22 years at the World Bank, where he was Vice President for Middle East and North Africa and Vice President for Poverty Reduction and Economic Management. He is the author of a book published last month called "For Better Globalization," speaks fluent English, French and German, besides Turkish, and holds a doctorate in economics from Princeton University and Master's and Bachelor's degrees from the London School of Economics (LSE).

" I believe Kemal Dervis would make an outstanding Administrator of UNDP," Mr. Annan said in a letter to the President of the programme's Executive Board. "I chose him from an outstanding array of global candidates."

Mr. Dervis' combination of proven practical and intellectual track records in development and international finance "with a passionate commitment to addressing the scourge of poverty" and his managerial skills would enable him to consolidate UNDP's critical role in addressing global priorities," Mr. Annan said.

UNDP is the largest of the independently funded UN agencies and, under its special General Assembly mandate, leads the UN's work on eradicating extreme poverty and promoting good governance in the developing world. Its staff is active in 166 countries.