The United Nations on Wednesday named former peacekeeping chief, Jean-Marie Guehenno, as a deputy to UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan in his mission to end the Syrian crisis. Guehenno, from France, joins former Palestinian diplomat Nasser al-Qudwa as Annan's deputies on this mission. The United Nations undersecretary general for peacekeeping from 2000 to 2008 "brings to the position years of diplomatic and academic experience," said the UN statement announcing the appointment. Annan, the former UN secretary general, was named special envoy by the Arab League and United Nations in a bid to halt the violence in Syria which the UN says has left well over 8,000 dead.