UNITED NATIONS, March 25 (Xinhua) -- United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday appointed Jean Arnault of France as his personal envoy to lead the UN efforts on the conflict in the Middle East and its consequences.

Arnault has nearly 40 years of experience in international diplomacy, focused on peace settlements and mediation, and an extensive background leading UN missions in Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America, according to a note to correspondents issued by the Office of the Spokesperson for the UN secretary-general.

Arnault's most recent assignments include his service, between 2015 and 2018, as delegate of the secretary-general to the Colombia peace talks and then as special representative of the secretary-general for Colombia, when he led UN efforts to verify the implementation of the 2016 Final Peace Agreement in that country.

From 2019 to 2020, he was the secretary-general's personal envoy for Bolivia, and in 2021, Arnault was named the secretary-general's personal envoy on Afghanistan and regional issues. ■