Mar 22, 2010, 16:59 GMT
New York - Costa Rica on Monday nominated an experienced climate change strategist and negotiator, Christina Figueres, to head the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Costa Rica was the second country after South Africa to nominate a candidate for the UNFCCC's executive secretary, a post which will be vacant on August 1 with the departure of Yvo de Boer.
De Boer led the climate change summit in Copenhagen in December at which rich and poor countries were unable to close discord on ways to combat global warming. Governments around the world still have to reach a new agreement to replace the Kyoto Protocol that will expire in 2012.
Figueres has led her country's participation in the global strategy to combat global warming for the past 15 years and was known for her dedication as a negotiator, strategic thinker and capacity builder.
She said at a news conference at UN headquarters in New York that she was 'profoundly humbled' by her government's confidence. She has been involved in climate change negotiations since 1995 and has led green enterprises in Latin America.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has to select a new executive secretary for the climate change body before the end of July.
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