As Resident Coordinator of the United Nations System in Guatemala, Mr. Rohr will promote and evaluate the joint work of all UN agencies, funds and programs in Guatemala under the same action line: the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) 2005-2008, agreed with the Government of the Republic. The objective is to develop and strengthen a UN strategy and a joint program where every agency, fund and program assumes responsibility for its mandate and experience, avoiding double efforts and with the challenge of generating real synergies.

In this way, working under the coordination of Mr. Rohr, important efforts will be made to strengthen the simplification and harmonization of procedures in development programs and projects. This applies to the preparation, approval, execution, financing, monitoring and assessment of programs and projects, with special emphasis in national efforts aimed at applying the Millennium Declaration and fulfilling the Millennium Development Goals in Guatemala.

Mr. Rohr is also assuming his duties as UNDP Resident Representative in Guatemala. This is translated into leading the main UN development agency in the country, working towards broadening opportunities for the population and complementing national efforts to advance human development.

From 2003, Mr. Rohr acted as UNDP Resident Representative and Resident Coordinator of the United Nations System in El Salvador. From 1998 to 2003, he worked in CARE International as director in several countries like Nicaragua, Kenya, Mozambique and Peru, where he was responsible for all the programmatic implementation of the institution, in areas related to food safety, rural development, microcredit, youth education, water, health, and HIV/Aids, among others. During his last stage at CARE he was the Regional Director for Middle East and Europe.

Beat Rohr is Swiss-Canadian, has an academic background in business administration (MBA) and project management. He has also collaborated with several public and civil institutions in Canada, like the Ministry of Education, the World University Service of Canada and the United Nations High Commissioner Office for Refugees. We would like to warmly welcome Mr. Rohr.