IASC Weekly (NY) - on DRC
New York
1. Discussion with Mr. Fidele Sarassoro, DSRSG/RC/HC/RR in the DRC
Mr. Fidele Sarassoro is (since February 2010) the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary General/ Resident Coordinator/ Humanitarian Coordinator/ Resident Representative of UNDP (DSRSG/RC/HC/RR) in Democratic Republic of Congo. In his presentation, he will focus on the key priority areas of protection of civilians and access, and provide an update on the humanitarian situation and response in the Kivus, the LRA affected areas of Province Orientale, recent developments in Province Equateur, epidemics and expulsions from Angola.
Mr. Sarassoro has broad experience in coordinating humanitarian action and in managing recovery and poverty reduction programmes in Africa. In addition, throughout the course of his career, he has established strategic donor partnerships with organizations such as the World Bank, the European Union, and others to fund programmes in support of democratic governance and the agricultural sector. Since 2006, he has served as United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative in Ethiopia, where he spearheaded the establishment of a high-level coordination mechanism to address access and humanitarian delivery issues for humanitarian actors. He led United Nations reform and enhanced coordination in one of Africa’s largest United Nations Country Teams and advanced aid effectiveness as co-chair of the Development Assistance Group, the consortium of donors in Ethiopia. From 2002 to 2006, Mr. Sarassoro served as United Nations Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Togo, where he assisted the Government in the formulation of key governance-related reforms.