The UN Resident Coordinator's Office in Lao PDR
The United Nations Country Team (UNCT) is led by the UN Resident Coordinator, the designated representative of the UN Secretary General in the Lao PDR. The Resident Coordinator provides leadership of the UN’s overall engagement and cooperation with the Lao PDR, and strategic guidance and coordination for the operational activities of the UN and its agencies, funds and programmes at the country level, ensuring that the UN is able to provide efficient and effective development support aligned with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Governments development priorities among its 18 Goals.
The Resident Coordinator’s Office acts as the secretariat to the UN Resident Coordinator and the UNCT, providing organizational, advisory and management support, and facilitating the UN’s joint strategic planning. The Resident Coordinator’s Office draws on the expertise and experience of the entire UN family, promoting information exchange, cooperation and collaboration among UN agencies, and supporting joint initiatives, for instance on the localization of the Sustainable Development Goals. It also supports and coordinates the assistance of non-resident UN agencies, funds and programmes in pursuit of national development priorities and strategies. In crisis and emergency contexts, the Resident Coordinator in cooperation with the Government, and supported by the Resident Coordinator’s Office, coordinates the humanitarian assistance of the international community.
The UN Resident Coordinator in Lao PDR
The UN Resident Coordinator in Lao PDR is Mr. Bakhodir Burkhanov.
Mr. Bakhodir BURKHANOV (Uzbekistan) has worked for the UN System organizations since 1998 in progressively responsible positions starting as National Officer with UNIDO.
Prior to his appointment as UN Resident Coordinator for Lao People’s Democratic Republic, he headed the RC System Business Management Branch at the UN Development Coordination Office (DCO) in New York, overseeing human resources, legal, financial and operational management support for the RC System globally.
In December 2018, he was designated as UNDP Resident Representative for 10 Pacific Island Countries based in Fiji (Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu). From 2016 to 2018, he served as Country Director for the Pacific Office in Fiji, and Head of UNDP’s Pacific Regional Policy and Programme (covering 10 Pacific Island Countries, with support to Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Cook Islands, Niue, and Tokelau).
Between 2011-2016, he was posted in Viet Nam as Deputy Country Director in a Delivering as One (DaO) context. From 2008 to 2011, he was Deputy Resident Representative in Bhutan, a self-starter DaO country. Prior to that, he served as a Donor Relations Adviser at UNDP Headquarters in New York (2004-2008), covering a donor portfolio including the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Australia, New Zealand and the Republic of Korea.
His other postings included Assistant Resident Representative in Papua New Guinea, and Programme Specialist at UNDP HQ in New York covering the Afghanistan desk.
Bakhodir holds an MA degree in Business Administration and a BA (Hons) in Political Sciences and International Relations. He is married with three children.
The UN Resident Coordinator's Office in Lao PDR
The Resident Coordinator (RC) is supported by the Resident Coordinator's Office (RCO), which includes:
- Head of Office, Shairi Mathur
- Senior Economist, Matthew Johnson-Idan
- Development Coordination Officer, Data Management and Result Monitoring & Reporting, Vankham Bounvilay
- Development Coordination Officer, Climate Change and Environmental Protection, Toscan Vermast
- Climate and Disaster-Resilient Development Officer, Sanjay Pariyar
- Sustainable Development Support Officer, Chiara Dozza
- Development Coordination Officer, Programme Communications and Advocacy, Yoon Young Jang
- Disability Inclusion Partnerships and Advocacy Officer, Lapkeo Somchanmavong
- Executive Associate, Khemphet Phaokhamkeo
- Administrative Assistant, Phetdouangchan Vixaiyavong
- Driver, Bounchanh Soukkanya
