Secretary-General António Guterres announced on 31 October 2018 the appointment of Geir O. Pedersen of Norway as his Special Envoy for Syria.

Mr. Pedersen brings to this position decades of political and diplomatic experience, having served both in government and UN capacities, most recently as Norway’s Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China (since 2017 to 2018) and as Permanent Representative of Norway to the UN (2012 to 2017).

Mr. Pedersen served the UN in various roles, including as Special Coordinator for Lebanon (2007 to 2008) and as Personal Representative of the Secretary-General for Southern Lebanon (2005 to 2007). He also worked as Director of the Asia and Pacific Division in the Department of Political Affairs.

Between 1998 and 2003, Mr. Pedersen served as the Norwegian Representative to the Palestinian Authority. From 1995 to 1998, he held different positions at the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Oslo, among them Chief of Staff for the Norwegian Foreign Minister.

In 1993, he was a member of the Norwegian team to the Oslo negotiations that led to the signing of the Declaration of Principles and the mutual recognition between the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Israel.

Mr. Pedersen was born in Oslo on 28 September 1955. He is married and has five children.