United Nations aid chief Martin Griffiths, who recently pushed for more humanitarian access to Gaza, plans to step down at the end of June for health reasons, a UN spokesperson said on Monday.
Griffiths is a British diplomat who has headed the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) since 2021.
Farhan Haq, deputy spokesperson for UN Secretary-General António Guterres, did not disclose the nature of Griffiths' health concerns.
"He advocated tirelessly for life-saving aid to reach those most in need and for the resources needed to do so," Haq said in a statement.
"A skilled diplomat and mediator, he has played a key role in leading the humanitarian response of United Nations and partners and negotiating solutions to some of the most intractable crises."
In a post on X, Griffiths said he had informed Guterres of his intention to step down in June but did not provide a reason for his decision.
"To everyone at @UNOCHA, it's been the privilege of my life. I am deeply in your debt," he wrote.
"To all partners and supporters, thank you for championing the cause of people in crises."
Griffiths had previously served as the UN Secretary-General's special envoy for Yemen, and as an adviser to all three of the UN Secretary-General's special envoys for Syria, among other roles.
(Reuters)