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Tharoor's term as head of UN information department extended

United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan has extended the term of Shashi Tharoor, interim head of the United Nations Department of Public Information, for an indefinite period.

Tharoor, who was earlier communications adviser to Annan, was appointed the interim head in January for two to three months.

The announcement of the extension of his term was made on Wednesday.

Tharoor is among the confidants of Annan. In January he had replaced Kensaku Hogan of Japan at a time when the department was under pressure to improve its performance amidst concern among top officials over diminishing interest in the media about the UN's activities.

Tharoor has worked for the UN since 1978, serving with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and heading its Singapore office in that year during the Vietnamese 'boat people' crisis.

In 1989, Tharoor became a senior official at the UN Headquarters in New York, where, until late 1996, he was responsible for peacekeeping operations in the former Yugoslavia.

From January 1997 to July 1998, he was executive assistant to Annan. In January 1998 he was appointed director of communications and special projects in the office of the secretary general.

Tharoor has also written numerous articles and books and is the winner of several journalism and literary awards, including a Commonwealth Writers' prize.

PTI

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