By Xinhua
Brasilia : Brazilian ambassador Sergio de Queiroz Duarte has been named as the United Nations High Representative for Disarmament.
Duarte will lead the Office of Disarmament Affairs based at the UN headquarters in New York, and answer directly to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
The appointment of the post, the highest in the world body's disarmament and non-proliferation system, recognises Duarte's "vast experience of diplomacy and of his treatment of these topics in multilateral forums," the Brazilian foreign ministry said in a statement.
"It also recognises Brazil's unwavering commitment to disarmament and non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and the nation's efforts in the international community to deal with questions relating to peace and international security in multilateral forums," it added.
Duarte served as Brazil's ambassador to China from 1996 to 1999 and the permanent representative of the International Atomic Energy Agency from 1999 to 2000.