The UN Resident Coordinator Office
The United Nations Resident Coordinator Office supports the work of the UN Resident Coordinator. The UN Resident Coordinator leads the UN country team in consultations with the Government to define and agree on the UN strategic response to the Government’s development priorities. This response is captured in the UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) 2017-2021.
The UNDAF is a medium term results framework that describes the collective vision and response of the UN system to national development priorities. The UNDAF describes how the UN country team will contribute to the achievement of development results based on a common country analysis and the UN comparative advantage. Currently, the UN framework of work for The Gambia is under the 2017-2021 UNDAF.
The office coordinates activities related to common programming including Agenda 2030, joint programmes, joint programming activities and development coordination work. This is done in conformity with the objectives and priorities of the Government, and the mandates and objectives of the United Nations agencies.
The UN Resident Coordinator Office has five core functions:
- Strategic Planning
- Economics
- Partnerships and development finance
- Data and results management and reporting
- Communications and advocacy
The Resident Coordinator in The Gambia
A citizen of Haiti, Mr. Karl Frédérick Paul brings 20 years of experience in development and humanitarian work, primarily in NGO leadership positions in complex environments. He began his development career as a field officer in disaster prone island Haiti and has since worked in coordination and leadership roles across Africa and Latin America. His most recent postings have been as Resident Representative for Plan International in Burkina Faso, Benin and Country Director for CARE in Haiti. In recent years, he was worked in a variety of leadership positions across Africa (Angola, Tunisia, Libya, DR Congo, Burundi, Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire) actively contributing to development solutions for these Nations and aligning with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
As a seasoned professional, Mr. Paul brings hands-on expertise in leading international organizations with a strong focus on development programming, humanitarian preparedness and response, and social cohesion strategies, all contributing to the attainment of SDGs. His extensive experience spans multiple development sectors, involving collaboration with diverse stakeholders. Possessing robust analytical and conceptual skills, he has always demonstrated a profound understanding of sustainable development dynamics, poverty reduction, and social injustice. A dedicated leader, Mr. Paul brings extensive experience in delivering development programs, conducting policy dialogue and advocacy, fostering long-term equitable partnerships, and leading strategy development on transformative entry points, key transitions, that have essential catalytic and multiplier effects across the SDGs. He advocates that such transitions require a consideration of multiple policy levers spanning economic, social and environmental dimensions.
Furthermore, Mr. Paul is an outspoken feminist and strong advocate for climate action, for green and blue economies. He is a convener of people and connector of ideas that help countries to unlock their potential with confidence at the future. Driven by a results-oriented mindset, he emphatically believes in the transformative power of collaborative action and trust to collaborative and inclusively deliver sustainable solutions contributing to the SDGs.
Mr. Paul has a Master’s in Business Administration, Master’s Degree in Strategic Management from the University of Belgrano in Buenos Aires Argentina and a Bachelor Degree in Finance from Quisqueya University in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. He was accepted for a PhD in International Development at the London School of Economics in 2021. He is fluent in French, English, Portuguese, Spanish, Creole, German and intermediate Arabic. In his free time, Mr. Karl-Frederick Paul enjoys doing crossfit and as a classical pianist, he spends time playing pieces from his preferred classical baroque repertoire.
