United Nations, May 13 (IANS): UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday announced his appointment of Mark Lowcock of Britain as the next under-secretary-general in charge of UN humanitarian affairs.

Lowcock will succeed Stephen O'Brien who has been leading the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) since 2015 and will conclude his term at the end of August 2017.

One of the major missions of OCHA is to mobilize and coordinate humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors in disasters and emergencies.

"Lowcock brings to the position more than 30 years of experience leading and managing responses to humanitarian crises across the globe, and wider strategic leadership in the international development arena," UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told a daily briefing.

Lowcock is currently Permanent Secretary at the Department for International Development (DFID), a UK government department responsible for administering overseas aid.

He has worked in DFID and its predecessor since 1985 and has served in overseas postings in Malawi, Zimbabwe and Kenya as well as leadership positions in headquarters in London.