Martin Kobler of Germany to serve as head of UN mission to Congo

United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon appointed Martin Kobler of Germany to serve as thhead of the UN mission to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, dpa quoted a spokesman for Ban as saying Monday. Kobler, who is currently a special representative for the UN mission in Iraq, will take over as head of the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) after current representative Roger Meece leaves in July. Kobler, who was chef de cabinet to former German foreign minister Joschka Fischer, has 25 years of experience in foreign policy, having served with the UN in Afghanistan and represented Germany in Iraq and in Egypt as ambassador. Kobler established the German representation with the Palestinian Authority in Jericho and has worked with Germany's task force in the Balkans.