HAMILTON, Canada

The UN appointed Spanish diplomat Miguel Angel Moratinos Cuyaube on Wednesday as Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' special envoy to combat Islamophobia.

Moratinos will continue in his current role as High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), which he has held since 2019, according to a statement by the UN spokesperson's office.

"Mr. Moratinos brings decades of diplomatic experience and leadership on multilateral issues, including dialogue among civilizations and combating discrimination," it said. "Mr. Moratinos has reinforced UNAOC's role as a global platform for dialogue and bridge-building.”

A seasoned diplomat, Moratinos served as Spain's foreign minister from 2004 to 2010, during which his country held the presidency of the Security Council and led several international organizations, including the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the Council of Europe.