All over the world, tens of millions of people are desperately seeking refuge, many of them far from home and even farther from safety. Migrants and refugees face imposing physical obstacles and bureaucratic barriers.

When Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon first appointed me as UNFICYP Force Commander in 2014, I was excited to take on the new challenge. As the first ever female Force Commander of a UN Peacekeeping mission, I was venturing into uncharted territory.

The United Nations Secretary-General today announced the appointment of Major General Mohammad Humayun Kabir of Bangladesh as the Force Commander of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP).