Highest Ranking American Leaves UNESCO

Peter Smith, the Assistant Director General of UNESCO for Education and the highest ranking U.S. citizen in the UNESCO secretariat, has resigned from the organization.

Koïchiro Matsuura, the Director-General of UNESCO sent this message to UNESCO's staff:

Mr Peter Smith, Assistant Director-General for Education, has tendered his resignation, which I have accepted, and which is effective immediately.

I wish to reiterate my full commitment to the aims of the Education Sector strategic reform, which will continue. All necessary steps will be taken to ensure that UNESCO achieves its goals in education.

Pending the recruitment of a successor, interim arrangements will be made. From tomorrow, Friday 16 March, and until those arrangements have been announced, the Education Sector will report directly to me.

Newspapers coverage of the departure includes article in:

The Monterey Herald
The Barre Montpelier Times Argus