The Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, appointed by the UN Secretary-General, is the head of UN DESA. The Under-Secretary-General advises the Secretary-General on the three pillars of sustainable development – social, economic and environmental, and nurtures key partnerships with governments, UN agencies and civil society organizations. The Under-Secretary-General is assisted by the Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Development and the Assistant Secretary-General for Policy Coordination and Inter-Agency Affairs.
Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs
USG M
r. Li Junhua assumed his duties at Headquarters on 30 August 2022. He brings to the position more than 35 years of experience in the diplomatic service, with a strong focus on the promotion of bilateral, regional and global issues. (biography) (statements)
The Under-Secretary-General is responsible for a number of tasks, including:
- managing the Department and its divisions;
- advising the Secretary-General on the three pillars of sustainable development – social, economic and environmental – including the SDGs;
- establishing key partnerships with governments, UN agencies and civil society organizations;
- convening the Executive Committee on Economic and Social Affairs, which is the coordination vehicle within the UN development system; and
- overseeing the Development Account of the United Nations regular budget, which funds programmes implemented by ten different entities in the UN Secretariat.
Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Development
ASG Mr. Navid Hanif assumed office as Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Development on 1 July 2022. Mr. Hanif brings to the position more than 30 years of experience in national and international Civil Service, encompassing analytical work, policy-making, programme planning, capacity development, multilateral diplomacy and extensive knowledge of the United Nations system. (biography)