Nadia Younes

[Nadia Younes] lived, and ultimately died, for the United Nations. She was killed in the Aug 19, 2003, bomb attack on the UN headquarters in Baghdad that left at least 22 dead, about 100 injured, and the humanitarian community in disbelief and despair. Younes, who was appointed as WHO's Executive Director in charge of External Relations and Governing Bodies in August, 2002, was on secondment as chief of staff for the top UN envoy in Iraq, Sergio Vieira de Mello. Fluent in English, French, and Arabic, Younes was responsible for WHO's relations with member states, governing bodies, and the World Health Association. She was one of Egypt's most senior international diplomats. Egypt's ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Naela Gabr, described her death as a "loss not just to Egypt but to the international community". "She was an amazing person-full of life, energetic and extremely resourceful", said WHO Director-General Jong-wook Lee. "Nadia was with us at WHO for less than a year, but she immediately became known as one of the most charismatic people in the organisation. We will miss her."