Tom Fletcher is a former British ambassador and policy advisor to three British Prime Ministers.
He was appointed UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Relief Coordination in October (2024).
In this role, Tom Fletcher will also serve as Chairman of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs – OCHA.
Tom will replace former agency head Martin Griffiths, who announced he was stepping down in June due to health reasons. Since then Deputy Disaster Relief Coordinator Joyce Masua has served as Acting Under Secretary General.
‘The mission is very difficult’
Tom Fletcher, as the UN’s top humanitarian official, admits he is under no illusions about how difficult the mission is.
“The impact of conflict and war, climate change, inequality and injustice on ordinary people is increasing rapidly,” he said.
Tom Fletcher said, “I will defend our humanitarian movement and humanitarian values and fight to make us all more efficient, strategic, inclusive and innovative. “We must win the argument for renewed international solidarity.”
Before being elected to this post, Tom Fletcher was the Principal of Hertford College at the famous University of Oxford in Britain and the Vice-President of the University College Conference.
Tom Fletcher has extensive experience leading and transforming large organizations and a strong background in diplomacy.
According to Tom Fletcher’s biography, he also served as Global Strategy Director for the Global Business Alliance for Education.
During his British diplomatic career, Tom Fletcher worked closely with the United Nations in Africa, the Middle East and Europe. This includes the role of Head of the Middle East Peace Process at the British Foreign Office (FCO).