Baroness Amos named head of UN humanitarian relief

Baroness Amos was the UK's first black female cabinet minister

Former Labour minister Baroness Amos has been appointed head of the UN's Office of the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

Valerie Amos became the first black woman to sit in the cabinet and served for four years under Tony Blair.

She will become the most senior Briton in the UN when she takes over from fellow countryman Sir John Holmes.

Foreign Secretary William Hague said she would bring a "vast amount of expertise" to the job.

Currently the High Commissioner to Australia, Baroness Amos of Brondesbury in the London Borough of Brent was made a life peer by former Prime Minister Mr Blair in 1997.

She entered the history books in 2003, when she took her place at the cabinet table after succeeding Claire Short as International Development Secretary. Later that year she gave up the post to become leader of the House of Lords

At the forefront of relief operations

Foreign Secretary William Hague said Baroness Amos would bring "a vast amount of expertise, commitment and energy" to the role of emergency relief coordinator.

"It is crucial that we continue to build strong and effective leadership in our international organisations and I am therefore pleased that the UK is continuing to play such a key role in this important UN body," Mr Hague said.

"The Office of the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is at the forefront of the UN's efforts to tackle some of the most traumatic challenges around the world.

"It is one of the most visible and high profile ways in which we see the very positive contribution the UN makes."

Baroness Amos said: "I am looking forward to working with colleagues in the UN and elsewhere.

She was born in Guyana in March 1954, the eldest of three.

The family moved to Kent when she was 11 because of her teacher father's concern for their future education.

She has never married and has no children.

Five years ago she was nominated by Mr Blair to become head of the UN's development programme, but narrowly lost out to the Turkish nomination.