I'd like to welcome members of the Subcommittee on International Human Rights, who are joining us for this meeting with the United Nations under-secretary-general and emergency relief coordinator.
It's a pleasure to have Sir Mark Lowcock here with us today to brief the committee. Sir Mark Lowcock was appointed under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator in May 2017. Prior to his appointment, Mr. Lowcock served for six years as the United Kingdom's permanent secretary for the Department for International Development. As permanent secretary, Mr. Lowcock led the United Kingdom's humanitarian response to conflicts in Iraq, Syria and Libya, and to natural disasters in Nepal and the Philippines. Prior to that, he served as DFID's director general for Africa and Asia and coordinated its response to humanitarian emergencies in Haiti, Myanmar and Pakistan.
I'd like to have you deliver remarks for 10 minutes or so, and then I know there are going to be lots of questions from colleagues around the table.
Please begin your remarks.