Further to Notification 2019/008, the UN Environment /CMS Secretariat would like to inform Parties of interim arrangements for the management of the Secretariat.

Pending the selection of a new Executive Secretary through a competitive recruitment process, the Acting Executive Director of UN Environment, Ms. Joyce Msuya, has decided to appoint Ms. Amy Fraenkel as Acting Executive Secretary for an initial period of six months beginning on 13 May 2019.

Ms. Fraenkel has served as part of the senior management of the Secretariat of the Convention of Biodiversity since 2013, prior to which she served as the UNEP Regional Director for North America beginning in 2008. A graduate of Harvard Law School, her career has focused on international law and policy, with expertise on multilateral environmental agreements, both as a negotiator and Party and as a senior staff member with the United Nations. Ms. Fraenkel has extensive experience on biodiversity and migratory species, and is well versed in the running of a Secretariat of a multilateral environmental agreement and the work of the biodiversity-related conventions.

Pending Ms. Fraenkel’s assumption of her duties, Mr. Marco Barbieri will continue to act as Officer in Charge of the Convention Secretariat until 12 May 2019.