Nepalese diplomat named UN envoy for least developed countries and small island states – (14 August 2012) Source: UN News Centre Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today announced the appointment of the Ambassador of Nepal to the United Nations as his top aide dealing with some of the world’s most vulnerable countries. Gyan Chandra Acharya of Nepal will serve as Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for the Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States, replacing Cheick Sidi Diarra of Mali, who has served in that post since 2007. According to a media note announcing the appointment, Mr. Acharya’s nearly three decades of diplomatic service have regularly placed him in the frontlines of bilateral, regional and global issues, where he has consistently highlighted and advocated for the interests and concerns of least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing states. Most recently, Mr. Acharya, 52, served as Chair of the Global Coordination Bureau of the Group of Least Developed Countries and was closely involved in the recent UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20), held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in June.