After Sir John Holmes retires as the head of the UN’s humanitarian activities
later in the year, the Cameron government will have the chance to make its first high-level international appointment. Officially, the job is appointed by UN secretary-general Ban ki-Moon, but the
unpopular South Korean is likely to want to keep the new British government on board as he seeks re-election for a second term. So the UK is likely to get its pick.
Rumours have it that three people are on the short list drawn up by officials: Valerie Amos, the Labour peer and former International Development Secretary; Dame Barbara Stocking, the head of OXFAM, and Martin Griffiths, the head of the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue and formerly Deputy UN Humanitarian Relief Coordinator.
Sir John was widely seen as having done a credible job, even though Britain had wanted him in another slot (as the Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs) and he came to the position without any background in humanitarian affairs.
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