Usha Rao-Monari assumes role as new Associate Administrator for UNDP

Usha Rao-Monari of India has officially taken to office as the role of Under-Secretary-General and Associate Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), following her appointment by United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres last February.

In an official release, Achim Steiner, UNDP Administrator welcomed Ms Rao-Monari to UNDP and said: "I am very pleased that we will have the opportunity to benefit from the breadth and depth of her professional experience to date at this significant point in time."

Rao-Monari comes with 30 years of investment experience and has held several senior positions, notably as Director of the Sustainable Business Advisory Group at the International Finance Corporation, part of the World Bank Group.

"She has until recently served on the Boards of a number of orgsations in the field of sustainable development and has held a number of Board and advisory positions in the areas of water, natural capital, biodiversity, and the environment," the statement read.

Rao-Monari succeeds Mourad Wahba who acted as Associate Administrator since May 2019 - the culmination of over 30 years at the United Nations.

Achim Steiner, UNDP Administrator, in bidding farewell to Wahba, expressed his deepest gratitude for his critical support to the orgzation.

UNDP works in about 170 countries and territories, helping to eradicate poverty, reduce inequalities and exclusion, and build resilience so countries can sustain progress.

As the UN's development agency, UNDP plays a critical role in helping countries achieve Sustainable Development Goals.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), otherwise known as the Global Goals, are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity.

( With inputs from ANI )