NEW YORK: Datuk Maimunah Mohd Sharif of Malaysia was re-elected by the UN General Assembly as the executive director of the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) for a term of office of two years, Xinhua reported.

Her initial four-year term ended on Wednesday. Her new two-year term starts on Jan 20, 2022, and ends on Jan 19, 2024.

The General Assembly on Thursday acted on the recommendation of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Sharif's re-election was approved without a vote.

Before becoming head of UN-Habitat, Sharif was mayor of Penang in Malaysia. She has over 30 years of experience in urban planning, urban regeneration and community-led development.

Since joining the United Nations in January 2018, Sharif has re-positioned UN-Habitat as a thought leader in sustainable urbanisation. She is the co-chair of the Secretary-General's Task Force on the Future of Cities and co-chair of the Local 2030 Coalition. She is an advocate for local voluntary reviews and champions the urban perspective in the World Economic Forum, never forgetting her humble beginnings in the rubber plantations of Malaysia, said the press office of the UN secretary-general.

Sharif, 60, holds a Bachelor's degree in town planning studies from the University of Wales Institute of Science and Technology and a Master's degree in planning studies from the Malaysia Science University.

She is married and has two daughters.

-- BERNAMA