New York - Ms. Usha Rao-Monari of India officially began in her role today as Under-Secretary-General and Associate Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), following her appointment by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres last February.

"I warmly welcome Ms. Rao-Monari to UNDP” said UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner. “I am very pleased that we will have the opportunity to benefit from the breadth and depth of her professional experience to date at this significant point in time.”

Ms. Rao-Monari comes with 30 years of investment experience and has held several senior positions, notably as Director of the Sustainable Business Advisory Group at the International Finance Corporation, part of the World Bank Group. She has until recently served on the Boards of a number of organisations in the field of sustainable development and has held a number of Board and advisory positions in the areas of water, natural capital, biodiversity and environment.

Ms. Rao-Monari succeeds Mr. Mourad Wahba who acted as Associate Administrator since May 2019 - the culmination of over 30 years at the United Nations. Achim Steiner, UNDP Administrator, in bidding farewell to Mr. Wahba, expressed his deepest gratitude for his critical support to the organization and his profound appreciation for Mr. Wahba’s dedication and unreserved commitment to the United Nations and to UNDP.

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