United Nations Secretary-General Ant贸nio Guterres announced on 06 December 2023 the appointment of Antonia Marie De Meo of the United States as Deputy Commissioner-General (Operational Support) of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East聽(UNRWA).
Currently Director of the United Nations Crime and Justice Research Institute聽(UNICRI), Ms.聽De Meo brings to the position nearly 25 years of experience in executive leadership, strategic planning, representation, resource mobilization and all aspects of operational oversight in humanitarian, conflict, recovery and development contexts.
Prior to her role with UNICRI, Ms.聽De Meo was Chief of the Human Rights, Transitional Justice and Rule of Law Service at the United Nations Support Mission in Libya聽(UNSMIL) and Representative of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights聽(OHCHR) in Libya (2018-2020). 聽She also served as acting interim Designated Official for Security during her tenure. 聽Ms.聽De Meo was Chief of Staff and Director of the UNRWA Executive Office (2014-2017) and held other senior management positions with the United Nations Children鈥檚 Fund聽(UNICEF) in Sri Lanka and Sudan (2011-2014), the United Nations Resident Coordinator鈥檚 Office in Sudan (2011-2012), and the United Nations Office for Project Services聽(UNOPS) in Palestine, Iraq, and Jordan (2009-2011). 聽From 1999 to 2007, she worked in the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in the Republic of Moldova, the Human Rights Chamber for Bosnia and Herzegovina and the American Bar Association鈥檚 Central and East European Law Initiative in the Republic of Moldova.
Ms.聽De Meo holds a master鈥檚 degree in public administration from the John F. Kennedy School of Government of Harvard University, a Juris Doctor degree from Lewis and Clark Law School, and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Wellesley College, all in the United States. 聽She is fluent in English and has knowledge of French and Russian.
