Bruno Lemarquis Arrives in Kabul as New Deputy UN Special Representative

Bruno Lemarquis arrived in Kabul on Tuesday to take up his new position. He is the newly appointed deputy special representative of the UN Secretary-General for Afghanistan. In addition to this role, he will serve as resident coordinator and humanitarian coordinator for the United Nations operations in the country.

Lemarquis succeeds Ramiz Alakbarov, who previously held these responsibilities. His arrival occurred one day after the United Nations Security Council decided to extend the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, known as UNAMA, until June 2027.

With more than thirty years of experience working for the United Nations, Lemarquis brings extensive background to his new post. Between 2022 and 2026, he worked in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He has also held positions in Haiti and contributed to the work of the United Nations Development Programme. Earlier field missions took him to Somalia, Haiti, the Palestinian territories, and Cambodia.

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres selected Lemarquis for the Afghanistan assignment earlier in 2026. The move takes place against a backdrop of economic difficulties, widespread poverty, significant humanitarian requirements, limitations placed on women and girls, and the ongoing return of migrants to Afghanistan.