Mr. Dominic Sam
Resident Representative a.i

UNDP South Sudan    Dominic Sam is a distinguished leader within the United Nations, with extensive experience both at Headquarters and in various field assignments across crisis, early recovery, and stable economic and development transitions in diverse country contexts. With a strong commitment to investing in peace, resilience, equality, and equity, he champions the creation of just and prosperous societies. Mr. Sam is renowned for his adept leadership style, grounded in dialogue and national ownership, which has consistently led to significant achievements in development outcomes, particularly in conflict prevention/resolution and peacebuilding efforts. He has a proven track record in building coalitions and partnerships to drive development results.

Mr. Sam's contributions have been recognized through prestigious awards, including a Doctor of Humane Letters (LHD) Honoris Causa from the African Methodist University, Liberia, for his work in post-conflict stabilization and strengthening democratic institutions. He was also admitted into the Humane Order of African Redemption with the grade of Knight Grand Commander by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia, acknowledging his substantial contributions to the country's post-conflict recovery.

Prior to his current appointment, Mr. Sam served as the Resident Representative for the Democratic Republic of Congo from February 2018 to February 2023. During his tenure, he successfully secured over $600 million in funding for development projects across 145 territories, a flagship initiative of the Regional Bureau for Africa.

His illustrious career within the United Nations system includes notable roles such as UNDP Country Director in Ghana and Liberia, as well as Acting Resident Representative for the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). He has also held positions at UNDP headquarters in New York and the United Nations Office for Project Services, with a focus on resource mobilization and project management.

Before his international career, Mr. Sam served as a Senior Planning and Monitoring-Evaluation Officer with the North-West Development Authority of Cameroon and later as an assistant to the Resident Representative of UNDP in Cameroon.

Mr. Sam, a native of Cameroon, holds a law degree from the University of Yaoundé and a master's degree in development studies from the Institute of Social Studies in The Hague, Netherlands. He assumed the role of Acting Resident Representative for the United Nations Development Program in South Sudan on February 6, 2024.