Resident Coordinator's Message to the Asia-Pacific Regional Commemoration of UN Day 2021

Watch the Resident Coordinator's Message

Colleagues and friends,

I’m delighted to join you today as we celebrate the 75th anniversary of Thailand joining the UN.

At heart, this is a recognition of the people who make up the UN here. It has been a tough year, in terms of public health, working from home and adapting to challenging conditions. Many of us have been affected by being separated from our loved ones, and all of us, by concerns about friends and families, both here in Thailand and abroad.

I want to express my appreciation for all of your work. Staff are the biggest asset for the UN, and how we strategically position our whole engagement to advance policies and practices in country. You have adapted and continue to deliver results.

It’s a privilege to work with you all and I’m grateful for the opportunity.

When I say staff are the greatest asset, it is because of the partnerships that you have built, reaching out across civil society, including the most vulnerable, as well as government and policymakers.

Our job is to inspire. The UN agencies working in Thailand cannot affect change on our own, but need these networks.

In turn, I’m myself inspired by the people with whom we work. Let me highlight Khun Ploy Nantaporn, our SDG Youth Panel representative.

On the international stage, Khun Ploy has related how her work with the Food Rescue Foundation serves a crucial role - feeding people in their time of need. She also highlighted UN support and our common purpose framed by the SDGs to drive change.

COVID has clearly shown the importance of the social protection system, the need to extend it to the informal sector and vulnerable groups, and the UN’s key role in policy expertise and bringing together people to take meaningful action.

In consultations on the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework, guiding all of our work for the next five years, it is clear that in addition to working with government and the private sector, we need to strengthen collaboration with civil society through formalized dialogue. We need to inspire and lead, but also listen and learn.

The Cooperation Framework lays out three priority areas: 1) the green, inclusive economy, in the urgent context of the climate crisis; 2) human capital and improving digital skills; and 3) leave no one behind and social protection. All of the UN agencies have to work together to achieve this needed transformation.

In this rapidly changing world, UN’s leadership will need to look and feel different, taking action to break down the silos that separate our work, making ourselves more accessible, and ensuring that policy advice is both practical and specific.

When we leverage the UN family, we get the best for the UN Country Team and the people of Thailand.

I look forward to our discussions and collaborations in the year ahead.

Thank you.