The United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today announced the appointment of Farid Zarif, of Afghanistan, as his Special Representative for Liberia and head of the United Nations Mission there, known as UNMIL, Klan Kosova reports. Currently the Special Representative and head of the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), Mr. Zarif has extensive experience in diplomatic, international and United Nations affairs, having served in various positions inside and outside Afghanistan. After being Permanent Representative of his country to the United Nations in New York (1981-1987), he became Deputy Foreign Minister (1987-1989) and Presidential Adviser on International Affairs (1989-1991). Having joined the United Nations in 1993, Mr. Zarif has since served at Headquarters in New York as well as in political, humanitarian and peacekeeping operations in Eritrea, Liberia, South Africa, Iraq and Sudan in various capacities. He also served as Director of the Europe and Latin America Division in the Office of Operations, Department of Peacekeeping Operations (2010-2011). At UNMIL, Mr. Zarif will succeed Karin Landgren of Sweden.