Enrico Gaveglia 
Resident Representative

Mr. Enrico Gaveglia was appointed as Resident Representative for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Cambodia mid-July 2025. He most recently concluded a transformative tenure as UNDP Resident Representative in the Maldives [2021-2025], where he led a period marked by innovation, strategic partnerships, and the advancement of sustainable financing mechanisms.

With over two decades of international development experience—15 of which have been in the Asia-Pacific region, including Sri Lanka, Cambodia, the Philippines, and the Maldives—Mr. Gaveglia has guided UNDP through a pivotal evolution from traditional aid delivery to becoming a key technical and strategic partner to host governments.

During his leadership in the Maldives, UNDP launched the 2022–2026 Country Programme, addressing fiscal vulnerabilities common to Small Island Developing States (SIDS). He spearheaded the introduction of the Integrated National Financing Framework—the first of its kind among SIDS—alongside the SDG Taxonomy and ESG Sustainability Framework, aligning over USD 5.5 billion in capital toward sustainable investments. His leadership also advanced data-driven planning, digital readiness, and inclusive urban development across all levels of public administration.

Mr. Gaveglia has a strong track record in portfolio development, particularly in green and blue economy financing, including parametric insurance. He has cultivated robust partnerships with the European Union, United Kingdom, Japan, Australia, China and philanthropic foundations on SDG acceleration-related initiatives. In the area of governance, he has championed access to justice, gender equality, and the devolution of state functions to local administrations. He has also supported strategic reforms in the healthcare sector and public financial management systems.

From 2010 to 2021, Mr. Gaveglia served as Deputy Resident Representative for UNDP in the Philippines and as Deputy Country Director in Sri Lanka and Cambodia. Between 2005 and 2010, he led $ 600 mil humanitarian, peace building and early recovery Multi Donor Trust Funds as head of the Fund Management Unit in UN/UNDP Sudan. He has also contributed to institutional programme strategies and operational effectiveness as a resource person for UNDP Headquarters, including the UNDP Bureau of Management and the Crisis Bureau.

Mr. Gaveglia brings extensive experience across diverse development contexts, including Lower Middle-Income Countries (LMICs), Upper Middle-Income Countries (UMICs), Middle-Income Countries (MICs), and Least Developed Countries (LDCs). He frequently undertakes support missions to assist countries and UNDP offices undergoing transformation, crisis, or post-conflict recovery. He offered SURGE support to Libya, Central African Republic, Afghanistan and Haiti.

Prior to joining UNDP, he worked for over five years with the European Union, serving in the former Regional Delegation to India, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and the Maldives, as well as with the former European Agency for Reconstruction in Montenegro and North Macedonia. He also served as a Lieutenant in the Italian Ministry of Defense.

Mr. Gaveglia holds a Master’s degree in Economics. He is married and the father of one child.