January 4, 2010
Ross Mountain took up his position as DARA’s Director General on January 1st 2010 following a long and distinguished career in the service of the humanitarian sector.
With this appointment, DARA – an international, independent non-profit organization – seeks to broaden and strengthen its commitment to improve the quality and impact of development and humanitarian interventions through evaluations.
Ross Mountain (Christchurch, New Zealand, 1944) has led various core UN humanitarian, recovery and development operations in Asia, Africa, Oceania, the Middle East and the Caribbean, and has been the Director of the UN’s Humanitarian operations in Geneva, Switzerland. He has over 35 years experience in the humanitarian and development sectors.
Ross Mountain during his presentation (c) DARA
Prior to joining DARA, his latest assignment was in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where he served as Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mr. Mountain was one of three officials responsible for MONUC, the largest United Nations mission in the world.
Previously he held a range of senior posts in Iraq, where he replaced Sergio Vieira De Mello, the UN Commissioner for Human Rights and Special Representative of the Secretary General killed in Baghdad by a terrorist attack in 2003. Following his appointment by Kofi Annan, Mr. Mountain became Special Representative for the Secretary General ad interim, UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator, and the UN Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative.
Afghanistan, Liberia, Haiti and Lebanon are other destinations where Ross Mountain has served throughout his career.
Mr. Mountain’s appointment is part of DARA’s determination to reinforce its efforts to improve the quality and efficiency of aid so it reaches those who most need it amidst increasingly limited humanitarian access, global financial turmoil, and the proliferation of natural disasters and violent conflicts.
Silvia Hidalgo, cofounder of DARA welcomes this appointment: “As well as all the qualities for which he is known, Ross Mountain is currently considered the best humanitarian coordinator and has always strived to ensure that the political, economic and military spheres remain at the service of the humanitarian one. We are certain he will successfully meet the many challenges in DARA,” says Hidalgo.
Share this