Jamaican appointed Chief of Staff to UN Secretary-General

A Jamaican has been appointed to one of the top posts within the United Nations.

He is Ambassador Courtenay Rattray, who is now the Chief of Staff to UN Secretary-General António Guterres.

On Friday, Guterres announced that Rattray will succeed Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti of Brazil.

A news release from the UN said Guterres expressed his profound appreciation to Ribeiro Viotti, saying that he particularly admires her exemplary leadership in steering the work of the United Nations through some of the greatest tests in the organisation’s history, including the novel coronavirus pandemic, a potentially crippling financial crisis and one of the organisation’s biggest internal reforms.

“Her vision, sound judgement and unmatched integrity inspired and shaped the United Nations and will leave a positive impact on the organisation for the years to come,” Guterres said.

Rattray has been the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States since July 2021.

Prior to this appointment, he served as Jamaica’s permanent representative to the United Nations in New York, during which time he was also co-chair of the Group of Friends of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Financing; Children and the SDGs; and the Group of Friends of Decent Work.

He previously served as Jamaica’s ambassador to China (2008-2013); director of the Bilateral Relations Department in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade in Kingston (2005 -2008); deputy chief of mission, Embassy of Jamaica in Washington, DC (2001-2005); special adviser to the minister for foreign affairs and foreign trade (2000-2001); and special adviser to the minister for industry and investment (1999-2000).

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