The European Commission said Poland's Maciej Popowski would head its Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO).
The department coordinates the EU's response to disasters and emergencies through the provision of humanitarian aid and civil protection assistance.
Popowski will take up his duties on March 1.
He has 15 years of first-hand experience in the Commission and other EU bodies in dealing with crisis situations, development policy as well as a broad range of peace and security challenges, including military and civilian aspects.
He has played a key role in calibrating the EU's response to the humanitarian crisis caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the announcement said.
His new position will allow him to "make the most of his established leadership skills together with his thorough experience in inter-institutional and international negotiations and his refined sense of political communication," according to the European Commission.
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Source: European Commission