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Indian Diplomat Shalini Bahuguna Appointed UN Resident Coordinator in Papua New Guinea

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has appointed Indian development expert Shalini Bahuguna as the UN Resident Coordinator in Papua New Guinea. Bahuguna brings extensive experience from roles with UNICEF, where she recently developed an AI strategy in partnership with Accenture. Her career includes postings in Tanzania, Ethiopia, Myanmar, Nigeria, and work with the Indian government and World Bank on water sector reform. She will lead the UN's 192 programmes in Papua New Guinea, which involve an outlay of $85.5 million.

Key Points: Indian Expert Shalini Bahuguna Named UN Coordinator for Papua New Guinea

  • UN's top official in Papua New Guinea
  • AI strategy experience with UNICEF
  • Decades in international development
  • Oversees $85.5M in UN programmes
  • Career launched in India's water sector
2 min read

UN chief appoints Shalini Bahuguna of India as resident coordinator in Papua New Guinea

UN chief appoints Shalini Bahuguna, an AI and development expert from India, as the top UN official in Papua New Guinea.

"She brings decades of experience with international organisations. - Stephane Dujarric"

United Nations, April 2

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has appointed Shalini Bahuguna, who has worked on artificial intelligence, as the resident coordinator in Papua New Guinea.

Guterres' Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said on Wednesday (local time) that she brings decades of experience with international organisations.

Resident coordinators are the highest-ranking UN officials in a country, leading the organisation's teams working on UN programmes.

Most recently, she worked with UNICEF, developing an AI strategy in partnership with Accenture, according to the UN.

Earlier, she was the UNICEF representative in Tanzania, where she advanced children's rights and the nation's development priorities.

She has been the UNICEF deputy representative in Ethiopia and Myanmar, and chief of social policy and gender in Nigeria.

Bahuguna launched her career in development in India, working for an NGO on water and sanitation issues, and later worked with the Indian government and World Bank programme on water sector reform.

Her work with Britain's Department for International Development (DFID) also took her to China, Indonesia and Afghanistan.

A graduate of Lady Shri Ram College in Delhi, she has a master's degree in development economics and international development from Britain's Swansea University.

The UN is involved with 192 programmes in Papua New Guinea with an outlay of $85.5 million.

It is a small Pacific nation that shares a border with Indonesia and has a population of about 13 million.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Great to see an LSR alumna reaching such heights! Her career path from water sanitation work in India to AI strategy at the UN is truly inspiring. Shows the depth of talent we have. More power to her!
A
Aman W
Papua New Guinea is a strategically important nation in the Indo-Pacific. Having an Indian professional in such a key UN position there is a positive development. Her experience in multiple countries will be a huge asset.
S
Sarah B
While it's wonderful to celebrate individual achievements, I hope her appointment leads to tangible, on-ground improvements for the people of Papua New Guinea. The UN has a $85.5 million program there - accountability for that spending is key.
V
Vikram M
Her early work on water and sanitation in India is the kind of grassroots experience that makes for effective leadership. Understanding ground realities is as important as high-level strategy. Jai Hind!
K
Karthik V
Impressive credentials. Development economics from Swansea, then working across Africa and Asia. This is the kind of soft power and global influence India should be proud of. Hope she brings some of that AI expertise to benefit PNG's development.

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