Former White House adviser Anthony Lake picked as UNICEF chief

New York - The United States has nominated Anthony Lake, former White House national security adviser, to become head of the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), the UN Foundation said Thursday. The foundation's President Timothy E Wirth said Lake has all the credentials and understanding of international issues that will help resolve some of the problems affecting children around the world.

"The nomination of Tony Lake as UNICEF chief underscores the importance that the (US) administration places on the urgent need to address children's health issues around the world," Wirth said.

"His foreign policy expertise and experience working with the US Fund for UNICEF will also make an invaluable contribution to UNICEF's work moving forward," Wirth said.

Lake, 70, served under US President Bill Clinton, who is now heading international efforts to rebuild Haiti after the destruction of the magnitude-7 earthquake on January. Clinton is the UN special envoy for Haiti in addition to running his foundation devoted to assisting poor countries.

An American has always served as UNICEF executive director and the selection involved Washington naming a candidate, who has to be appointed by the UN secretary general in consultation with UNICEF's executive board.

If Lake is appointed, he will replace retiring Ann Veneman, a former US secretary of the agriculture under President George W Bush. Veneman's five-year term will expire April 30.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/310069,former-white-house-adviser-anthony-lake-picked-as-unicef-chief.html.