LocationsStatement on Passing of former UNDP Administrator William Henry Draper
September 11, 2026
Attributable to ‘a UNDP Spokesperson’
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The UN Development Programme (UNDP) notes with deep regret the news of the passing of former Administrator William Henry Draper.
As head of the Organization from 1986 to 1993, Mr. Draper was instrumental in the leadership of several global initiatives, such as the Education for All movement, the 1995 Beijing Women’s Conference and the 1995 Social Summit in Copenhagen.
Mr. Draper also championed the vision of Mahbub ul Haq and Amartya Sen to launch the landmark 1990 Human Development Report, shifting the agency's metrics from pure economic growth to human well-being.
As a tireless advocate for development, Mr. Draper’s leadership saw a major expansion of UNDP’s programmes to support the poor and vulnerable around the world.
We pay tribute to this legacy and extend our deepest condolences to Mr. Draper’s family at this time.
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