Bruno Lemarquis, the newly appointed deputy special representative of the UN secretary-general for Afghanistan, arrived in Kabul on Tuesday and formally assumed his duties, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said.
Lemarquis will serve as deputy special representative, resident coordinator and humanitarian coordinator, overseeing the work of UN agencies, funds and programs across Afghanistan. He succeeds Indrika Ratwatte in the role.
His arrival comes a day after the UN Security Council unanimously renewed UNAMA’s mandate through June 2027, reaffirming the mission’s role in humanitarian coordination, development assistance and human rights monitoring in Afghanistan.
As the UN’s top humanitarian and development official in the country, Lemarquis will lead the development pillar of UNAMA at a time when Afghanistan remains heavily dependent on international aid amid economic hardship, widespread poverty and growing humanitarian needs.
UNAMA said that Lemarquis brings more than three decades of experience within the United Nations system. Most recently, he served as deputy special representative of the secretary-general in the UN stabilization mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where he also held the positions of resident coordinator and humanitarian coordinator from 2022 to 2026.
He previously served in similar roles in Haiti and has held senior positions within the UN Development Programme, including at its Crisis Bureau.
His field experience includes assignments in Somalia, Haiti, the Palestinian territories and Cambodia.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres appointed Lemarquis to the Afghanistan post earlier this year.
His arrival in Kabul comes as the UN faces mounting challenges in Afghanistan, including funding shortfalls, worsening food insecurity, restrictions on women and girls, and the return of hundreds of thousands of Afghan migrants from neighboring countries.
UNAMA remains the United Nations’ principal political mission in Afghanistan and coordinates much of the international humanitarian response in the country.
