The former Norwegian Minister of Development, Hilde F. Johnson, is appointed deputy executive director of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).
07/06/2007 :: Johnson is set to be the highest-ranking Norwegian in the UN system. She will be responsible for UNICEF’s involvement in UN reform and the UN’s collaboration with other aid organisations.
Extensive Experience
UNICEF’s Executive Director, Ann Venemann, announced the assignment at the opening of UNICEF’s annual assembly in New York on 4 June. Johnson currently holds a position as a special counsellor to the President of the African Development Bank.
“With the employment of Hilde Johnson, UNICEF will gain one of the most renowned international capacities on development as a member of their leadership. The government supports her candidature”, says Norway’s Minister of International Development, Eirik Solheim.
Important to Norway
UNICEF is one of the central development organisations within the UN. The organisation is represented in more than 150 countries and provides both aid upon emergencies and long term development aid.
UNICEF is one of Norway’s most important associates on multilateral development as well as being a crucial partner on issues such as children –and young people’s rights, girls' rights to education, vaccination and the combat against HIV/ AIDS. Norway is a significant donor to UNICEF’s humanitarian actions.
Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs