Mr. Samuel Gbaydee Doe has joined UNDP Ethiopia as the new Resident Representative. Mr. Doe comes to Ethiopia after serving as a Resident Representative for UNDP’s South Sudan (2021 –2023) and Sierra Leone (2019-2021) country offices. 

Mr. Doe noted that he looks forward to forging broad partnerships to advance Ethiopia’s sustainable development agenda. “I am honoured to lead UNDP Ethiopia at this critical juncture in the country’s history and sustainable development journey,” Mr Doe reflected, “We will do our utmost to build upon the strong and enduring partnership between UNDP and the Government and people of this great country, to accelerate the achievement of your sustainable development aspirations as articulated in the 10 Year Development Plan of Ethiopia (2021-2030) and the Homegrown Economic Reforms Programme.  We will pay particular attention to efforts in consolidating democratic institutions, raising climate ambitions and protecting the environment, advancing peace support, pursuing the gender equality agenda as well as inclusive economic growth.”

Mr Doe comes to Ethiopia with extensive experience in development work, particularly around governance, recovery, resilience, policy and planning, and peacebuilding. He has served as Policy Advisor, Fragility, Risk, and Resilience (2014-2016) in the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support UNDP; Policy Advisor and Team Leader Inter-Agency Relations, Gender, and Crisis Prevention and Recovery in the UNDP Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery (2011-2014); Senior Political Officer for the UN Secretary-General’s Advisory Panel on Sri Lanka (2010-2011); Development and Reconciliation Advisor in the Office of the UN Resident Coordinator in Sri Lanka (2007-2010); Senior Conflict Prevention and Civil Society Development Advisor, Pacific Regional Centre UNDP in Fiji (2006); and Founding Executive Director of the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding in Accra, Ghana (1998- 2004). 

Throughout all his assignments Mr Doe has demonstrated a lifelong commitment towards the core UN principles – leaving no one behind, collaboration and partnership, gender and social inclusion, do no harm, and empowerment.  He is a strong advocate for development efforts that are context-specific with local/national ownership and leadership.