Dane to lead UN operation in South Sudan

UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday appointed Danish diplomat Ellen Margrethe Løj as the new head of the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan, the Foreign Ministry announced.

She will take over from Norwegian Hilde Johnsen, who left the position earlier this month after conflict between president Salva Kiir and his deposed vice-president Riek Machar escalated into civil unrest.

Millions on the run
Ethnic violence between the rival tribes of Salva Kiirs Dinka and Riek Machar Nuer has killed thousands of civilians and displaced more than one million people in the world's newest country, which gained independence from Sudan in 2011.

"Løj has a wealth of experience in peacekeeping and international affairs,” Ban Ki-moon said in statement, referring to when she was his special representative and head of the UN mission in Liberia from 2008 to 2012.
 
Løj has formerly served as the Danish ambassador to the Czech Republic and Israel, and between 2005 and 2006 she represented Denmark in the UN security council.




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