Sid Chatterjee Epitomizes the New Leadership Model of UN Resident Coordinators Worldwide

Former Ministry of International Affairs Cupboard Secretary Amina Mohamed receiving credentials from newly Appointed UNDP Resident Consultant and UN Resident Coordinator Siddharth Chatterjee, at her workplace in 2016. Credit score: UNDP Kenya
  • by Rodney Reynolds (united nations)
  • Inter Press Service

UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric advised reporters December 15 that his appointment follows affirmation from the Chinese language authorities.

A product of Princeton, one in every of America’s prestigious Ivy League universities, Chatterjee, an Indian nationwide and at the moment Resident Coordinator in Kenya, will take up his new publish in the course of January subsequent 12 months.

Resident Coordinators, stated Dujarric, are the Secretary-Normal’s representatives for improvement on the nation stage. They lead UN groups supporting international locations to get better higher from the COVID-19 pandemic by the Sustainable Growth Targets (SDGs).

China’s affirmation of Chatterjee’s appointment, significantly at a time of elevated political and navy tensions with India, is a sign, not solely of Beijing‘s dedication to strengthen multilateral relationships but additionally its recognition of Chatterjee’s excellent monitor document within the UN system.

“Sid’s exemplary management leaves a long-lasting footprint within the execution of Authorities/UN collaboration impacting tens of millions of lives in Kenya and the area. We offered the present of a large footprint as a reminder of the unforgettable journey that he has walked with the individuals of Kenya,” stated Kenya’s Minister for Sports activities Tradition & Heritage, Ambassador Amina Mohamed in her farewell tribute in a tweet.

Salim Lone, UN director of communications (1998-2003) below Secretary-Normal Kofi Annan, and Spokesman for Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga (2005-2013), advised IPS lots of work on the highest bilateral ranges goes into such senior UN appointments in any nation, go away alone China.

“Sid’s case is much more advanced as he’s not merely an Indian however a former senior safety official in an excellent elite navy unit, particularly at a time of open navy tensions,” he added.

On the similar time, this can be a tribute to the Chinese language maturity and the UN’s boldness in proposing Sid. A successful state of affairs on all fronts, stated Lone, a one-time UN Spokesman for Sergio Vieira de Mello in Baghdad (2003).

Amado Philip de Andrés, Regional Consultant of the UN Workplace on Medicine and Crime (UNODC) for Jap Africa and the Horn, stated “Sid epitomizes the brand new management mannequin of the United Nations Resident Coordinator worldwide.”

“He has impressed us on the UN Nation Staff to go the additional mile to ship the UN Growth Help Framework (UNDAF) in Kenya whereas supporting Kenya to progressively turn into an innovation hub within the area,” he declared.

In his present publish in Kenya, Chatterjee has led 23 UN companies, funds and programmes to assist the Authorities’s humanitarian and improvement agenda since 2016.

Described as an avowed champion for gender equality and prevention of gender-based violence, Chatterjee has labored in advanced emergency settings, together with in Iraq, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan (Darfur), Indonesia and with the UN Peace Conserving Operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Iraqi Kurdistan.

He has additionally labored in United Nations Growth Program (UNDP), the UN Inhabitants Fund (UNFPA), the Pink Cross motion, UNOPS and UN Safety.

A spotlight of his profession was, the demobilization of 3551 child soldiers in South Sudan in the course of the top of a battle, an initiative he led in 2000.

He has additionally been featured by Forbes magazine for championing ladies’s rights and gender equality. He was interviewed by CGTN America the place he commented on the essential the function of Chinese language peacekeepers within the United Nations and has additionally counseled the Belt and Road initiative.

Chatterjee has written extensively on humanitarian and improvement points in quite a lot of journals similar to Newsweek, the Hill, the Los Angeles Instances, CNN, Al Jazeera, Forbes, CNBC Africa, the Guardian, the Huffington Submit, Reuters, Inter Press Service (IPS) the International Observatory and mainstream Kenyan journals.

Chatterjee sees the growing concentrate on South-South collaboration as a chance for China to offer world management for the acceleration of the SDGs in Africa.

He has spoken typically about his ardour for bridging the poverty hole in creating international locations. His new focus is more likely to be the push for Common Well being Protection in addition to accelerating rural improvement by agriculture, which offers the clearest pathways for getting out of poverty in rural areas.

Chatterjee says, “the UN and China could make accessible the instruments, approaches and applied sciences to small holder farmers in creating international locations in order that they will enhance manufacturing and productiveness and leapfrog meals safety and the sustainable improvement aim on ending starvation or SDG 2”.

The brand new UN management in China may have a novel alternative as a convenor, connector, and catalyser within the rising partnership between China and Africa.

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© Inter Press Service (2020) — All Rights ReservedOriginal source: Inter Press Service



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