The United Nations announced on Monday that U.N. humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths is stepping down for health reasons after nearly three years of addressing humanitarian crises in Ukraine, Gaza, and Africa. U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres commended Griffiths for his leadership and service in advocating for people affected by crises and mobilizing resources to address their needs.
Griffiths, 72, revealed that he contracted a severe case of COVID-19 in October and continues to experience symptoms of long COVID. He assumed the role of U.N. undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator in July 2021 amidst escalating global crises and diminishing funds for humanitarian aid.
A seasoned British diplomat and experienced negotiator, Griffiths previously served as the U.N. special envoy for Yemen for three years before taking on the top humanitarian post. He will continue in his position until the end of June to facilitate a smooth transition.
In 1994, Griffiths held the position of director of the U.N. Department of Humanitarian Affairs in Geneva, which later evolved into the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs that he currently leads. From 1999 to 2010, he founded the Center for Humanitarian Dialogue in Geneva, focusing on political dialogue between governments and insurgents in various regions.
Griffiths also served as the first executive director of the European Institute of Peace from 2014 to 2018 and held roles as special adviser to U.N. special envoys for Syria. He was deputy head of the U.N. mission in Syria from 2012 to 2014 during the early stages of the conflict. Throughout his career, Griffiths worked as a British diplomat and contributed to international humanitarian organizations such as UNICEF, Save the Children, and Action Aid.
