UN SG announces new Special Representative for Disaster Risk Reduction and Head of UNISDR

GENEVA, 1 February 2017 – The UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, has announced the appointment of Mami Mizutori of Japan as Assistant Secretary-General and Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction.

Mr. Guterres expressed his appreciation of the dedication and excellent leadership provided to the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) by Robert Glasser of Australia, during his two-year mandate which concludes at the end of this month.

Ms. Mizutori said: “I am honored to be appointed to succeed Mr. Glasser in this increasingly important role of leading global disaster risk reduction efforts from the United Nations. I look forward to working with UN member states under the guidance of the Secretary-General.”

Mr. Glasser today congratulated his successor, Ms. Mizutori, and wished her well for the future. “I have no doubt that UNISDR is in good hands given the breadth and range of Ms. Mizutori’s considerable experience in academia and on the international stage. She will play a critical role in supporting the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, the global plan for reducing disaster risk and disaster losses adopted by UN Member States at the UN World Conference in 2015,” he said.

Ms. Mizutori brings to the position a combination of management and leadership expertise as well as more than 25 years of experience in international affairs and security. She is currently Executive Director of the Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures, University of East Anglia, UK, since 2011.

Prior to joining the university, she served for 27 years in the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs in various capacities, including as Budget Director, Director of the Japan Information and Culture Center at the Embassy of Japan in London, Director of the National Security Policy Division, Director of the UN Policy Division, Director of the Status of US Forces Agreement Division, and Deputy Director of the Personnel Division. She has worked in London, Washington DC, and Mexico City.

She has taught university courses on governance and graduated in law from Hitotsubashi University, Tokyo, and obtained a Diploma in International Studies from the Diplomatic School of Spain.