Jean-Marie Guéhenno, Arnold A. Saltzman Professor of Professional Practice at the Saltzman Institute and Director of the Center for International Conflict Resolution, will be leaving his position as Deputy Joint Special Envoy of the United Nations and the League of Arab States on Syria by August 1. Dr. Guéhenno, at the request of newly elected President of France Francois Hollande, will be chairing a committee on French national defense, which Dr. Guéhenno found incompatible with a position as a representative of the international community.

Commenting on his experience on the UN mission to Syria, Dr. Guéhenno said, "The last few months have been fascinating, although sometimes frustrating...the pace of diplomacy has not caught up with the pace of killings."

While his work with the French government will require some time spent in Paris over the next few months, Dr. Guéhenno will also be teaching a course at SIPA for the fall semester. The course, Peace Operations in Fragile States, will no doubt be all the more interesting after the professor's time in Syria.

A press release on Dr. Guéhenno's decision is available on the SIPA website.

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