United Nations, May 5 (IANS): UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has announced the appointment of Robert Piper of Australia as his special adviser on solutions to internal displacement.

The appointment of a special adviser on solutions to internal displacement "is a key component of the secretary-general's Action Agenda on Internal Displacement", according to a statement issued by the UN chief's office.

The action agenda, developed in response to the September 2021 report of the High-Level Panel on Internal Displacement, will help mobilize collective action and advance solutions for the millions of people who today find themselves displaced within their own countries, with a focus on root causes anchored in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Xinhua news agency quoted the statement as saying.

The special adviser will "ensure robust follow-up to" the action agenda and strengthen UN leadership on solutions, through galvanizing high-level engagement at global, regional and country levels on durable solutions to internal displacement; strengthening linkages with development actors, including international financial institutions; and driving collaboration within the UN system to more effectively advance durable solutions.

The special adviser will "ensure a strong emphasis on sustainable development", especially through the enhanced UN resident coordinator system and UN country teams across the globe, the statement said.

Piper brings to the position more than 30 years of experience in international development, humanitarian response and peacebuilding at the UN.

He is currently UN Assistant Secretary-General and head of the UN Development Coordination Office.