ODR Forum 2008 Welcomes former United Nations Assistant Secretary General

The Forum welcomes the attendance of Ambassador Patricia Durrant (Jamaica) former Assistant Secretary General (Ombudsman) as a particpant in the Forum. As a past member of the UN's Security Council, we look forward to her particpation in discussions on ODR and Peace.
The Forum gratefully acknowledges the assistance of the Canadian International Development Agency as a funding partner for travel.
THE FIRST UN OMBUDSMAN, MS. M. PATRICIA DURRANT
(JULY 2002 TO JULY 2007)
On 26 April 2002, Secretary-General Kofi Annan appointed Ms. M. Patricia Durrant of Jamaica as the first United Nations Ombudsman - an office created by the General Assembly at the end of 2001. Ms. Durrant has represented her country at the UN for some 15 years, both as Deputy Permanent Representative (1983-1987) and Permanent Representative (1995-2002).
Between those two stints, she served as Jamaica's Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany and non-resident Ambassador to the Holy See, Israel, the Netherlands and Switzerland (1987-1992) - as well as Director-General of Jamaica's Foreign Ministry (1992-1995).
As Jamaica's Ambassador to the United Nations, Ms. Durrant served on the Security Council from 2000 to 2001. She was also President of the high-level committee on technical cooperation among developing countries from 1999 to 2001. In 2002, she chaired both the Preparatory Committee for the General Assembly's Special Session on Children and the Consultative Committee for the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM).
A career diplomat since 1971, Ms. Durrant was also Vice-Chair of the Preparatory Committee for the Assembly's Special Session on Population and Development (1999). Prior to her first UN assignment, she was in the Political Division of Jamaica's Foreign Ministry, as Assistant Director (1977-1980) and Deputy Director (1980-1983). She was also Minister-Counsellor at Jamaica's Permanent Mission to the Organization of American States (1974-1977).
Ms. Durrant brings a wealth of experience and sensitivity to the position of UN Ombudsman. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Diploma in International Relations from the University of the West Indies, as well as a Diploma in Overseas Development Studies from the University of Cambridge, United Kingdom. Among other honours, she is the recipient of the Distinguished Achievement Award from the World Association of Former United Nations Interns and Fellows.
As United Nations Ombudsman, Ms. Durrant served a non-renewable, five-year term at the level of Assistant Secretary-General.