Christiane Amanpour also will remain a global affairs anchor for ABC News.

Story highlights

NEW: ABC: Stephanopoulos will return to "This Week," continue at "Good Morning America"

Christiane Amanpour will host a nightly news broadcast on CNN International

CNN Worldwide president: Her return is part of a "unique arrangement" with ABC News

Amanpour says she is "thrilled and honored" by the opportunity

CNN  — 

Christiane Amanpour will return to CNN with a weekday program on CNN International while continuing at ABC News as a global affairs anchor, the networks announced Tuesday.

Amanpour will begin hosting a program on CNN International in 2012 as part of a “unique arrangement” with ABC News, CNN Worldwide President Jim Walton said in an e-mail message to CNN staff.

“Christiane Amanpour has been synonymous with international reporting and with CNN for many years,” Walton said in a statement. “We could not be happier that through this unique arrangement with ABC News, her experience and global perspective are returning to a nightly news broadcast for our international audience.”

Amanpour, who left CNN in 2010 to become host of ABC’s “This Week,” said in a statement that she was “thrilled and honored” by the opportunity to host multiple specials for primetime ABC News and return to CNN.

“I am looking forward to getting back into the field to report stories on global issues that matter greatly to the American people,” she said. “At the same time, I will be broadcasting once again to hundreds of millions of people across the world with a weekday show on CNN International.”

Former “This Week” host George Stephanopoulos will return to the program and continue his role as an anchor for “Good Morning America,” ABC News spokesman Jeffrey Schneider said.

“Christiane has had an absolutely remarkable year at ABC News, with world-beating exclusives,” ABC News President Ben Sherwood said in a statement. “We’re thrilled that she will be able to get back out in the field, bringing these important global stories back to our audiences, particularly primetime.”

Amanpour spent more than 25 years reporting from around the globe for CNN.

Most recently, she was CNN’s chief international correspondent and anchored “Amanpour,” a 30-minute daily interview program that aired on CNN International from September 2009 to April 2010.

Her body of work has earned nine News and Documentary Emmys, four George Foster Peabody Awards, two George Polk Awards, three duPont-Columbia Awards, the Courage in Journalism Award, an Edward R. Murrow award, an inaugural Television Academy Honor and nine honorary degrees.

In 2007, Amanpour was made a Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II for her “highly distinguished, innovative contribution” to the field of journalism.

CNN’s Catherine E. Shoichet contributed to this report.