The UN Resident Coordinator Office
What is the Resident Coordinator's Office?
The One United Nations (One UN) in Rwanda is convened by the Resident Coordinator (RC), who coordinates all UN operations at the country level, with the support of the Resident Coordinator Office (RCO).
The RC leads the Country Team (UNCT), which is composed of representatives of all the UN entities with a presence in the country. Working closely with the Government of Rwanda and with the support of the rest of the Country Team, the RC coordinates the UN agencies that make up One UN, advocating for the mandates of the whole UN system.
One UN has a new Development Assistance Plan. This document sets out the areas of One UN action contributing to the national development agenda in Rwanda. Recently signed with the Government, the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (“Cooperation Framework”) covers the period 2018-2024. As per the UN reforms that came into force in January 2019, UNSDCF is a coordinated, joint effort between agencies: all 'Delivering as One' under the umbrella known as ‘One UN’, and coordinated through the RCO.
This Delivering as One approach capitalizes on the strengths and comparative advantages of the different agencies of the UN family. In doing so, Delivering as One increases impact through more coherent programmes, reduced transaction costs for governments, and lower overhead costs for the UN system.
There are five principles of Delivering as One, which depend upon on the coordination function provided by RCO:
One Leader,
One Budget,
One Programme,
One Voice, and
One House.
These principles help the UN system to align programmes and funding more closely to national priorities. Delivering as One strengthens government leadership and ownership. It has also ensured increased access to the experience and expertise of a wider range of UN organizations.
The UN Resident Coordinator a.i. in Rwanda
Fatmata Lovetta Sesay has over 20 years of global experience in economic development, sustainable finance, policy program support, and strategic management. She is currently serving as the Resident Representative of UNDP in Rwanda.
Previously, she has worked as the Senior Economist for UNDP in Ghana and The Gambia and held various senior roles in South Sudan, Eritrea, Botswana, Ethiopia, Haiti, Kenya, Liberia, Uganda, Zambia and more, along with significant contributions to UN Women's East and Southern Africa Regional Office.
She also has hands-on experience in public service, having served in Sierra Leone's Ministry of Finance and Office of the Vice President. With a PhD in Development Economics and a background in law and economics, she combines academic rigor with practical experience.
Passionate about women's economic empowerment, Fatmata has advised on national development strategies and led strategic initiatives across diverse regions. Fatmata is married with three children, and she enjoys dancing and sports!
Meet the team
The Resident Coordinator (RC) has the support of the Resident Coordinator's Office (RCO), which includes:
Angela Zeleza, Head of Office and Strategic Planner, UN Resident Coordinator’s Office
Jaime Garron Bozo, Economist
Sibylle Kamikazi, Data Management, Results Reporting Officer
Malaika Doucelline ROUSSEAU, Partnerships and Development Finance Officer
Eugene Uwimana, Associate Development Coordination Officer, Programme Communications and Advocacy
Chantal Mutavu, Administration and Finance Associate
Leah Schmids, Monitoring and Evaluation Associate - Triple Nexus
Immaculee Karake, Executive Assistant to the RC
Sandrine Gatesi Niyoyita, Coordination Specialist
Aristide Muhire, Information Management Officer- Creative Designer
Jean-Marie Gashirabake, Human Rights Assistant
Evaristus Ntani NGORAN, Human Rights Officer
