Peter Hansen (born 2 June 1941 in
Aalborg
Aalborg (, , ) is Denmark's fourth largest town (behind Copenhagen, Aarhus, and Odense) with a population of 119,862 (1 July 2022) in the town proper and an urban population of 143,598 (1 July 2022). As of 1 July 2022, the Municipality of ...
), a Danish national, was commissioner-general of the
(UNRWA) from 1996 to 2005.
Academic career
After completing graduate and postgraduate studies in political science at
Aarhus University
Aarhus University ( da, Aarhus Universitet, abbreviated AU) is a public research university with its main campus located in Aarhus, Denmark. It is the second largest and second oldest university in Denmark. The university is part of the Coimbra G ...
in 1966, Hansen joined the staff of the university as an
assistant professor
Assistant Professor is an academic rank just below the rank of an associate professor used in universities or colleges, mainly in the United States and Canada.
Overview
This position is generally taken after earning a doctoral degree and gene ...
in
international relations
International relations (IR), sometimes referred to as international studies and international affairs, is the Scientific method, scientific study of interactions between sovereign states. In a broader sense, it concerns all activities betwe ...
.
Diplomatic career
In 1978, Hansen joined the
United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmonizi ...
as assistant secretary-general for programme planning and coordination. Between 1985 and 1992, he served as assistant secretary-general and executive director of the United Nations Centre on Transnational Corporations. In March 1994, he took over the post of
Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator.
During his UN tenure, he has served as
chairman of the organization's appointment and promotion board and various committees and as the secretary-general's representative to the
World Food Programme
The World Food Programme; it, Programma alimentare mondiale; es, Programa Mundial de Alimentos; ar, برنامج الأغذية العالمي, translit=barnamaj al'aghdhiat alealami; russian: Всемирная продовольствен� ...
. He also served as the special representative of the secretary-general to the ad hoc liaison committee established to follow up the
Washington Conference in support of the
Middle East
The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Province), East Thrace (Europ ...
peace process.
Commissioner-general of UNRWA
Hansen was appointed commissioner-general of UNRWA by UN Secretary-General
Boutros Boutros-Ghali
Boutros Boutros-Ghali (; , ar, بطرس بطرس غالي ', ; 14 November 1922 – 16 February 2016) was an Egyptian politician and diplomat who served as the sixth Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN) from 1992 to 1996. An academic ...
on 20 January 1996 and took office on 1 March 1996. His term ended on 31 March 2005 and he retired from United Nations service.
[Unrwa head to go against his will](_blank)
BBC News
BBC News is an operational business division of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs in the UK and around the world. The department is the world's largest broad ...
, 20 January 2005. Accessed 6 December 2010. Hansen had been critical of Israeli actions, and UN sources said the US had opposed his reappointment.
See also
*
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hansen, Peter
1941 births
Living people
20th-century Danish diplomats
21st-century Danish diplomats
UNRWA officials
Under-Secretaries-General of the United Nations
Aarhus University alumni
Academic staff of Aarhus University
Danish officials of the United Nations
People from Aalborg