The ICJ welcomed today the appointment by the UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, of Bertrand G. Ramcharan (Guyana), ICJ Member since 1991, as UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, under the leadership of Mary Robinson.
Dr. Ramcharan is to take up the post on 1 December 1998, succeeding Dr. Enrique ter Horst (Venezuela), who resigned recently.
Dr. Ramcharan is at present Director of the Africa I Division of the Department of Political Affairs at the United Nations in New York. He has held various important posts in the UN during his 25 years service with the organisation. Dr. Ramcharan studied law at the London School of Economics and Political Science, where he graduated and obtained a Ph.D.
Dr. Ramcharan, a specialist of international law, international human rights law, humanitarian law and air and space law, is the author of many publications on these subjects, as well as on the UN. “Bertrand Ramcharan is a remarkably talented jurist who has contributed in so many different ways to the protection of human rights. His appointment as Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights should contribute to furthering the cause of justice around the world”, stated Mr. Adama Dieng, ICJ Secretary-General, today.
The ICJ looks forward in closely collaborating with the new UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights and wishes him all the best for the challenging and meaningful task that lies in front of him.
