United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has appointed Karla Robin Hershey of the United States as the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Samoa, with the host Governments’ approval, on 26 April 2025. Based in Apia, Samoa, Ms. Hershey will head the Samoa Multi-Country Office and coordinate the UN development operations in Cook Islands, Niue, and Tokelau.
The GOLA-REAP project, funded by the UN, aims to protect the Gola Rainforest while fostering peace, sustainable development and cross-border cooperation.
Costa Rica is at a crossroads: inequality and food insecurity remain significant challenges. A joint programme supported by the Joint SDG Fund and bringing together UNICEF and FAO, under the leadership of the Resident Coordinator's Office is aiming to improve agricultural practices and dietary habits among communities, promoting more sustainable production and building capacities.
Having completed a year in the role of UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Eritrea, Nahla Valji reflects on the complex context of the country, the unique position of the UN to partner with Eritrea on its development journey, and the immense potential to be unlocked in the country.
Around the world, 2.2 billion people live without access to safe water. As we mark World Water Day on 22 March, it is a moment to recognize the central role that water plays in accelerating the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UN Resident Coordinators bring together UN country teams and partners to support the work of governments and communities in boosting access to safe water. They mobilize resources to tackle water scarcity challenges, ensuring that access to safe water remains a top policy priority. Their engagement focuses on several fronts, from tackling the impact of climate change on water resources to water conservation to boosting public health and community resilience.
2025 marks the thirtieth anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. It’s a pivotal time to fight for women’s and girls’ rights, demand gender equality and insist on balancing power structures so everyone has an equal chance in the world.
Social justice in action means dismantling systemic barriers, equipping workers with future-ready skills, and ensuring every voice – especially women, youth, and marginalized communities – is heard in the global economy. UN Country Teams, led by Resident Coordinators, have been at the forefront of championing social justice as a fundamental pillar for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
With the aim to build communities' resilience and empowerment, a project implemented by the United Nations Development Programme is offering tools, skills, access to loans and other support to women farmers and entrepreneurs across four states, both in displacement areas and in the communities that host them. Even while the war continues, these women in Kessala, Gedaref, River Nile and Blue Nile, are using that support to grow their own food, set up their own small businesses and keep their children in school with money they earn themselves.
Mangrove forests are a unique wetland ecosystem often found where land and sea meet. They act as carbon sinks, absorbing significant amounts of carbon dioxide and also help in protecting shorelines from erosion, acting as natural storm barriers. However, deforestation, illegal logging, and climate-induced changes have threatened their survival. Recognizing the importance of mangroves, the United Nations is working with national authorities, communities and other partners to support initiatives that aim to restore and protect these critical habitats.
