The UN Resident Coordinator Office

The United Nations Resident Coordinator Office supports the work of the UN Resident Coordinator. The UN Resident Coordinator leads the UN country team in consultations with the Government to define and agree on the UN strategic response to the Government’s development priorities. This response is captured in the UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) or United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF).

The UN Resident Coordinator in Botswana 

Mr. Zia Choudhury is the United Nations Resident Coordinator and UN Secretary General’s Representative in Botswana since January 2020. He leads the UN Country Team which consists of 22 UN entities  accredited to work in Botswana. As the most senior UN official in country, he is tasked with facilitating effective collaboration between the UN family, Government, and all development partners to achieve the 2030 Agenda.

Mr. Choudhury brings 25 years of experience in development and humanitarian work, primarily in NGO leadership positions in complex environments. He began his development career as a national field officer in a disaster‑prone island in the Bay of Bengal and has since worked in coordination and leadership roles across Africa, Asia and Europe. His most recent postings have been as CARE International Country Director in Sudan and Bangladesh.

He has also substantively engaged in trade research, humanitarian policy development, and working to establish regulatory mechanisms for humanitarian agencies. Mr Choudhury also established and ran an ethical food business for two years and has held several non-profit board and trustee roles. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Geography from the University of London (SOAS) and a Master of Science in Management and Implementation of Development Projects from Manchester University in the United Kingdom.