UN Country Team
A total of 9 United Nations organizations are represented in Guyana. Additionally, there are a number of Non-Resident UN organizations of the Resident Coordinator System in Guyana. Together, the organizations work together as the United Nations Country Team (UNCT) to support Guyana’s development.
While each organization has programmes and projects in line with its specific mandate, the UNCT makes concerted effort to ensure progress towards the goals and objectives of the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) which is aligned with Guyana’s national strategic development planning frameworks, including the National Development Strategy, the Poverty Reduction Strategy and the MDGs. Together, the UN organizations work with country partners to reinforce each other’s programmes and provide technical cooperation in a well-coordinated manner. Listed below are the members of the UNCT. For further information on the focus of UN organizations, click the organization’s name below.
| Agency or Programme | Organization Head and Title | Location |
| UNDP |
Ms. Khadija Musa, UNDP Resident Representative / UN Resident Coordinator Ms. Chisa Mikami, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative |
Guyana |
| UNICEF | Dr. Suleiman Braimoh, Country Representative and UN Resident Coordinator Ad Interim | Guyana/Suriname/Trinidad & Tobago |
| UNFPA | Ms. Patrice La Fleur, Assistant Representative | Guyana |
| ILO | Mr. Sean Wilson, National Project Coordinator, ILO/USDOL HIV/AIDS Workplace Education Programme (Observer for the ILO Regional Office) | Guyana |
| UNV | Ms. Michiru Ito, Programme Officer | Guyana |
| UNAIDS | Dr. Roberto Luiz Brant Campos, Country Coordinator | Guyana/Suriname |
| PAHO/WHO | Dr. Beverly Barnett, Country Representative | Guyana |
| FAO | Dr. Lystra Fletcher-Paul, Country Representative | Guyana |
| IOM | Mr. Rui Olivera Reis- Chief of Mission, IOM (Observer) | Guyana |
Non-Resident Agencies of the Resident Coordinator System in Guyana
| Agency or Programme | Organization Head and Title | Location |
| ECLAC | Ms. Diane Quarless, Director, ECLAC Subregional Headquarter for the Caribbean | Trinidad and Tobago |
| ILO | Mrs. Ana Teresa Romero, Director, Subregional office for the Caribbean | Trinidad and Tobago |
| UNESCO | Dr. Kwame Boafo, Director and Representative, UNESCO Kingston Cluster Office for the Caribbean | Jamaica |
| UNFPA | Ms. Geta Arun Sethi, Director, Sub-Regional Office for the Dutch and English speaking Caribbean | Jamaica |
| UNIC | Mrs. Angelica Hunt, Director | Trinidad and Tobago |
| ITU | Mr. Philip Cross, Representative | Antigua and Barbuda |
| UN Women | Ms. Roberta Clarke, Regional Programme Director, Caribbean Office | Barbados |
As the designated representative of the UN Secretary-General and leader of the United Nations system organizations, the UN Resident Coordinator, who is also the UNDP Resident Representative, has overall responsibility for coordination of the operational activities of the UN at country level. The Resident Coordinator serves also as the representative of the UN funds and programmes with operational activities in the country but no field level representative. The overall objective of the Resident Coordinator System is to enhance the coherence and impact of the UN’s activities for development in order to achieve greater levels of effectiveness and efficiency, while harmonizing and simplifying the work of all UN entities operating the country, in keeping with the UN reform mandates. Comprehensive planning processes including the Common Country Assessment (CCA) and the UNDAF have key roles in facilitating the RC System’s overall objective.
UN Country Team Coordination
The Office of the Resident Coordinator provides support to the Resident Coordinator and members of the UNCT to facilitate inter-agency coordination and collaboration, monitor the linkages between the UNDAF and the programmes and projects of UN organizations, particularly those that are resident in Guyana, and to also explore on an ongoing basis the opportunities for joint UN initiatives.
Coordination Mechanisms
There are monthly meetings of the UNCT and thematic groups. UNCT meetings are co-chaired by the Resident Coordinator and a UN agency Head on a rotational basis. Non-resident agency heads have responded very favourably to co-chairing of UNCT meetings at least once every year and to also participate in the annual UNCT retreats.
Thematic groups include the UN Security Management Team (SMT) chaired by the Resident Coordinator in his/her capacity as the UN Designated Official for Security. There are also the HIV Theme Group and the Joint Technical Team on HIV. Other inter-agency groups are the Programme Coordination Group led by UNDP; the Operations Management Team (OMT) which is led by UNICEF and tasked inter alia with harmonizing UN operations practices and developing new common services; and the Joint Communications, Information and Advocacy Group led by UNAIDS. Each thematic group reports regularly to the Resident Coordinator and members of the UNCT on the progress of their work.
