ISLAMABAD – Marc-André Franche has arrived in Pakistan as Country Director United Nations Development Programme  (UNDP), the world body said Monday.
He has replaced Toshihiro Tanaka, the former UNDP Chief in Pakistan.
Prior to his assignment in Pakistan, Franche was the Deputy Director of UNDP in Haiti, a position he held since 2008, according to a statement issued here. In this capacity, he oversaw an extensive portfolio of projects addressing governance, rule of law reform, improvement of livelihoods and environmental protection.
Between 2004 and 2008, the UN diplomat worked for UNDP in New York as Programme Adviser for Conflict Prevention Initiatives in Latin America and the Caribbean. He was part of a team supporting consensus building and dialogue in the region.
He also worked on applied research and policy initiatives in conflict prevention for UNDP in Colombia from 2001 to 2004, and poverty reduction and local governance for UNDP in Bolivia from 1999 to 2001.
The UN statement said that Franche would lead the UNDP team in Pakistan, supporting federal and provincial governments to achieve their development goals, notably the Millennium Development Goals and the objectives to be set internationally beyond 2015 while implementing a broad agenda for capacity building. “I look forward to leading UNDP’s work in Pakistan, improving our ability to work collectively with the Government and people of Pakistan, and developing and supporting nationally-driven solutions to poverty reduction and improving livelihoods and resilience,” he said.