UNITED NATIONS, March 3 (Xinhuanet) -- UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan announced on Friday the appointment of Alicia Barcena Ibarra of Mexico as the acting Chief of Staff.

    The current Chief of Staff Mark Malloch Brown was named by the Secretary-General to replace Louise Frechette as Deputy Secretary-General. The appointment of Barcena will take effect upon the departure of Frechette and Brown's assumption of his now duties.

    Since Feb. 1, 2006, Barcena has served as Deputy Chief of Staff to the secretary-general. She previously served as Deputy Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean. Enditem