UN chief: former Kyrgyzstan president to head Afghan mission

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. says former Kyrgyzstan president Roza Otunbayeva will be its new special envoy for crisis-stricken Afghanistan. Otunbayeva succeeds Deborah Lyons of Canada as head of the U.N. political mission in Afghanistan known as UNAMA. She will be in charge of the U.N.’s humanitarian operations and dealings with the country’s Taliban rulers Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Friday night that Otunbayeva brings to the position over 35 years of professional experience in leadership, diplomacy, civic engagement and international cooperation. U.N. humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths has warned that 6 million Afghans are at risk of famine following the pullout of U.S. and other foreign forces last year and the withdrawal of aid agencies who provided funding for nutrition and education.