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 Civilisations (UNAOC), which he has held since 2019, according to a statement by the UN spokesperson’s office.

“Moratinos brings decades of diplomatic experience and leadership on multilateral issues, including dialogue among civilisations and combating discrimination,” it said. “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 organisations, including the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the Council of Europe.

On X, Moratinos uploaded a statement expressing his gratitude and stating he was truly honoured for the appointment.

“I thank the secretary general for the new responsibility that I have been entrusted with. I am also grateful for the support of member states and especially the OIC Core Group,” he wrote.

“The appointment of a UN special envoy to combat Islamophobia will contribute to strengthening our response to Islamophobia,” he added. “I wish to reaffirm my commitment to stand in solidarity with Muslim communities and to stand up against all forms of discrimination and bigotry.”