N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday named veteran U.N. diplomat Jean Arnault as his personal envoy to support efforts to end the Middle East conflict, saying the "world is staring down the barrel of a wider war", APA reports citing Reuters.
Guterres told reporters that he had been in close contact with many in the region and around the world and that a number of initiatives for dialogue and peace were underway.
He said these must succeed and warned that prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz was choking movement of oil, gas, and fertilizer at a critical moment in the global food planting season.
"It is time to stop climbing the escalation ladder – and start climbing the diplomatic ladder," he said at the U.N. in New York.
Guterres said UN mediators have offered their services and Arnault would do "everything possible" to support peace efforts.
The UN says Arnault has more than 30 years' experience in international diplomacy focusing on peace settlements and mediation, with a background in UN missions in Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America.
His most recent assignment was in 2021 as Guterres' personal envoy on Afghanistan and regional issues.
