SRSG for Disaster Risk Reduction

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Biography

In November 2008, the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced the appointment of Margareta Wahlström as his first Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction.

Ms Wahlström has extensive experience in both disaster relief operations and disaster risk management, with the United Nations system and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

Her broad experience spans conflict and non-conflict emergencies, and addressing long-term issues of sustainable development.

Ms Wahlström is also the head of UNISDR, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, that is the focal point in the United Nations system for the coordination of disaster reduction and to ensure synergies among the disaster reduction activities of the United Nations system and regional organizations and activities in socio‐economic and humanitarian fields. Under the SRSG’s leadership, UNISDR supports the implementation of the "Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015: Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities to Disasters" and now the "Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030" throughout the world.

Margareta Wahlström's previous appointments include:

• Coordinator of the Independent Panel on Safety and Security of UN Personnel and Premises, chaired by Mr. Lakhdar Brahimi, 2008
• Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator and Assistant-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, 2004-2008, and United Nations Special Coordinator for Humanitarian Assistance to the Tsunami-Affected Communities, 2004-2005
• Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Relief, Recovery and Rehabilitation, United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan , 2002-2004
• Under-Secretary-General for Disaster Response and Operations and Deputy Director Operations, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, 1995-2000