Italian Diplomat Appointed New Deputy UN Special Envoy for Syria

ARK News.. The UN Secretary-General has appointed an Italian diplomat as the new Deputy Special Envoy for Syria, with duties set to begin at the start of next year on 1 January 2026.

According to a statement published on the UN website, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres announced on Tuesday, 9 December 2025, the appointment of Italian diplomat Claudio Cordone as the new Deputy Special Envoy for Syria. He will officially assume his post on 1 January 2026.

Cordone succeeds Najat Rochdi of Morocco, who has held the position since June 2022. The Secretary-General expressed his gratitude for her dedication, hard work, and leadership during pivotal moments in the UN’s efforts to support Syria’s political transition process.

Cordone holds a Master’s degree in Law from Sapienza University of Rome, Italy, and a Master of Arts in Arab Studies from Georgetown University in Washington. He is fluent in English in addition to his native Italian.

He brings 40 years of experience in international relations, international human rights law, and humanitarian law. He spent more than 25 years with Amnesty International in various roles, including serving as Acting Secretary-General of the organization in 2010.

Cordone also served as Director of the Human Rights, Transitional Justice, and Rule of Law Division at the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) from 2013 to 2017, and has significant experience with the International Center for Transitional Justice.

Since 2022, he has held the position of Deputy Special Representative for Political Affairs and Electoral Assistance at the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI). He previously served as Director of UNRWA in Lebanon from 2017 to 2022.

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