UN names Spain’s Miguel Moratinos as special envoy to combat Islamophobia

UNITED NATIONS: United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres announced the appointment of Miguel Angel Moratinos, a former foreign minister of Spain, as the UN Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia.

Moratinos will continue to assume his present role as the High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), a prominent global platform for dialogue.

Taking on this dual role aims to optimize existing capacity and resources and integrate the functions arising from the new mandate into an existing position, the announcement said.

Wednesday’s appointment followed years of efforts by Pakistan, highlighting the growing tide of anti-Muslims hate in several parts of the world and the need to combat the menace. As part of these efforts, Pakistan submitted a resolution in the UN General Assembly, which was adopted by overwhelming majority.

The resolution called for, among other elements, concerted action to fight ongoing violence against Muslims and requests the UN chief to appoint a special envoy to combat Islamophobia.

The 193-member Assembly also designated 15 March as the International Day to Combat Islamophobia.

Moratinos has worked closely with the United Nations (UN) during his diplomatic career on the Middle East, Africa and Europe, notably as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Spain (2004-2010), during which his country held the presidency of the UN Security Council and chairmanships in office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the Council of Europe and the Council of the European Union.

Also, as Minister, Moratinos was a strong advocate of effective multilateralism, the Alliance of Civilizations, the Group of Friends for the Reform of the UN and contributed to the creation of innovative programmes for development, healthcare and women within the UN system, doubling his country’s Official Development Assistance.

Following his period in the cabinet, Moratinos later undertook parliamentary activity (2010-2011) focusing on international action towards the struggle against hunger and poverty, the promotion of food security and the right to food. As a member of the team of the Global Dry Land Alliance in Qatar, in 2012, he promoted the International Food Security Treaty and the International Treaty for a Global Dry Land Alliance.

Earlier in his diplomatic career, Moratinos served as Deputy Director General for Northern Africa (1987-1991), Director of the Institute of Cooperation with the Arab World (1991-1993) and General Director of Foreign Policy for Africa and the Middle East (1993-1996).

After serving as Spain’s Ambassador in Israel (1996), he was appointed by the European Union as Special Representative for the Middle East Peace Process (1996-2003).

Moratinos graduated in Law and Political Sciences at the University Complutense in Madrid, Spain and then in Diplomatic Studies at the Spanish Diplomatic School. Moratinos is fluent in Spanish, English and French.