Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN)-UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says Ameerah Haq is stepping down as the UN undersecretary-general in charge of providing logistics and support for the more than 100,000 UN peacekeepers deployed around the world.

Ban expressed “tremendous gratitude” on Tuesday to Haq “for her outstanding service” during a 38-year UN career which has included a wide range of development, humanitarian and peacekeeping roles from East Timor to Sudan, Afghanistan, Malaysia and Laos, reports undpi.

Ban did not name a replacement, and neither he nor his UN spokesman gave a reason for Haq’s sudden departure.

Haq, who is from Bangladesh, was the top UN envoy in East Timor until she replaced Susana Malcorra a year ago as undersecretary-general for field support.

BBN/JF/SS-17July14-2:20pm (BST)