New York, USA — Kurt Davis, the counsellor for humanitarian and cultural affairs at Jamaica’s permanent mission to the United Nations, has been seconded to the world body for a period of one year.

In his new position Davis, who has 14 years experience as a foreign service officer, will take on the role of senior advisor and supporting speech writer to Miroslav Lacjak, the Slovakian president of the 72nd Session of the UN General Assembly now underway here.

The Kingston College and The University of the West Indies graduate is among a diverse group of individuals from a variety of countries who have been chosen to serve in the Cabinet of the UN president, who has set out an ambitious agenda for implementation during his tenure in office.

Among his priorities are promoting peace, conflict prevention, migration, a sustainable planet, promoting human dignity, and modernising the United Nations under the theme ‘Focusing on people: striving for peace and a decent life for all on a sustainable planet’.

In addition to his role as senior advisor, Davis, who did postgraduate studies in diplomacy and international law in the United Kingdom, will also work on the topics of migration and human trafficking, and serve as liaison to the Caribbean Community (Caricom) missions at the United Nations.

He described his secondment to the UN as “another demonstration of Jamaica’s commitment to contribute to the important role that the UN plays in global affairs” and argued that he would “return to the Jamaican foreign service with valuable experience and exposure” at the end of his assignment.