Episode #2 - David Bassiouni

David Bassiouni was the first person to perform the role of a Humanitarian Coordinator for the UN in the early 1990s. He also held several senior positions with the UN, including as Deputy Director for UNICEF’s Office for Emergency Programmes. Prior to his career in the UN, Bassiouni served in senior government positions, including Regional Minister of Agriculture and Natural Resources in Sudan. In this episode, David Bassiouni takes us back to the early 1990s, when he was asked to take a front seat to lead the humanitarian operation in Somalia during its civil war. Bassiouni reflects on the challenges and successes of bringing humanitarian agencies back together after many had earlier left the country due to ongoing insecurity. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this podcast series are those of individual speakers and do not imply approval, expression of any views or responsibility on the part of UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).