Dushanbe, Tajikistan, 28 February 2020 – As of 2 March, 2020 Dr. Pratibha Mehta, who served as the UNDP Resident Representative and UN Resident Coordinator in Tajikistan till December 2018 and RC a.i till February 2020 will fully switch to her duties as UNDP Resident Representative. The change comes as part of UN Reforms in 2019, which globally delinked the functions of UN Coordination from UNDP Representation, and Ms Pratibha Mehta decision to continue to Represent and lead UNDP in Tajikistan and relinquish her duties as UN Resident Coordinator. As of 2nd March 2020, Ms. Sezin Sinanoglu will join as the new UN Resident Coordinator in Tajikistan.

Dr. Pratibha Mehta brings nearly 40 years of leadership and development experience and prior to Tajikistan has served as UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Vietnam, Yemen, and Mongolia; UNDP Resident Representative ad interim in Philippines; Senior Policy Advisor for Local Governance in UNDP/New York; Director of Local Agenda 21 in the International Council for Local Environment Initiatives based in Toronto, Canada as well as Senior Social Planner and Head of Urban Poverty Alleviation Unit in National Institute of Urban Affairs in India and has led several development policy research projects and training of Government and NGO in local governance and development affairs. 

UNDP will continue to support Tajikistan’s development in four priority areas: 1) improved governance, rule of law and access to justice, 2) Sustainable and equitable economic growth, 3) Social equity and protection of vulnerable groups from violence and discrimination, and 4) Resilience and environmental sustainability and is committed to working with all UN Agencies and development partners in accelerating SDGs achievement in Tajikistan.

For more information please contact Rukhshona Nazhmidinova, Head of Communications Unit, UNDP in Tajikistan. Tel: +992(44) 6005600; E-mail: rukhshona.nazhmidinova@undp.org

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