Brazilian Diplomat To Head UN Disarmament Office, Us Architect To Oversee Renovation
 
Date: Tue, 3 Jul 2007 09:00:24 -0400

New York, Jul  3 2007  9:00AM
 
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has named a career Brazilian diplomat 
to advance the United Nations disarmament agenda and a respected 
United States architect to oversee the $1.9 billion renovation 
project of the world body’s New York Headquarters.

Sergio de Queiroz Duarte – a 48-year veteran of the Brazilian Foreign 
Service with extensive experience in the field of disarmament, 
arms control and non-proliferation – has been <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2007/sga1075.doc.htm">appointed 
as the High Representative 
for Disarmament, according to a statement issued by 
Mr. Ban’s spokesperson.

As High Representative, Mr. Duarte, who has also served as Chairman 
of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency, 
will head the UN Office of Disarmament Affairs, the successor 
to the Department for Disarmament Affairs.

The Secretary-General first proposed the post earlier this year, 
recognizing the need for a more focused effort to revitalize the 
disarmament and non-proliferation agenda following setbacks such 
as the deadlock in the Conference on Disarmament, as well as the 
need for new impetus for the entry into force of the Comprehensive-Nuclear-Test-¬Ban 
Treaty.
The <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2007/sga1074.doc.htm">appointment 
of Michael Adlerstein of the United States as Executive 
Director of the Capital Master Plan, the spokesperson stated, will 
enable the UN to move forward with the refurbishment of the Organization’s 
New York Headquarters complex.

Mr. Adlerstein was most recently the Vice President and Architect 
of The New York Botanical Garden.  During a long and distinguished 
career with the United States Department of Interior, he oversaw 
the restoration of Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty.  He 
also worked as a State Department consultant on numerous projects 
including the preservation of the Taj Mahal.

The renovations under the Capital Master Plan, which will take place 
over the next seven years, are expected to make the main UN Headquarters 
buildings more energy efficient and eliminate safety 
and health risks.

The buildings have not been significantly improved or maintained 
since they were constructed in 1949 and 1950, making them extremely 
energy inefficient and costing the UN more than $30 million a 
year in energy costs alone.
 2007-07-02 00:00:00.000 


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