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New United Nations Resident Coordinator in Cameroon |
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Since end January 2009, Mr. Thierry Mertens is the new UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Cameroon.
A Belgian national, Mr. Mertens, brings 18 years of experience with the United Nations and close to 30 years of inter-sectoral development practice and capacity building in various countries in four continents, particularly in the fields of social development, public health, environmental management, humanitarian action, and policy and programme planning and evaluation.
Mr. Mertens followed a diverse career practicing social development, and in teaching and research at University of London. He completed two doctorates. His most recent function was as Director, Department of Strategic Planning and Innovation at the World Health Organisation (WHO).
This rich and diverse experience allows him to bring a new strategic vision to his job and face the challenges of his new functions. Mr. Mertens approach is to promote a cohesive UN that effectively support, in collaboration with financial and technical partners, civil society and the private sector, Cameroon’s ambitious vision to become an emerging country by 2035. He proposes that "innovative solutions are identified through a trustful working relationship keeping in mind UN values and objectives". His priorities focus on socio-economic development, governance, including equitable access to justice, environment and crisis prevention and management. These form the United Nations Development Assistance Framework’s (UNDAF) main themes.
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