UNOPS

This afternoon at #WUF13 #Baku, I look forward to opening a session to discuss key questions related to urban development and resilience. 📅 "Recovery Readiness for Housing and Infrastructure:: Building Resilient Urban Futures", co-organized United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), #UNHabitat #UNOPS and the #IRP

Just wrapped up an incredibly energizing visit to our West Africa Multi-Country Office and I am returning with my cup full. 🌍✨ It’s great to see UNOPS delivering & building on the immense potential and momentum in the region: 🇨🇮Côte d’Ivoire: Deep-diving into impactful discussions and capacity building with suppliers at the UP Forum and connecting with key partners including the World Bank, and government ministries to align on our shared goals. 🇸🇳Senegal: Wrapping up at our hub in Dakar, where I had the privilege of meeting with our brilliant, dedicated teams who are driving our mission forward on the ground and hearing about the diversity of our portfolio, stretched across more than a dozen countries with completely different profiles! But beyond the people, the strategy, the partnerships, and the projects, what struck me most deeply on this trip was the leadership. After a visit to our Honduras hub, this is my second visit to an MCO led by a strong, powerful, intelligent, and creative woman - Silvia Gallo. What stands out isn't just their strategic brilliance, but how they lead: with empathy, with heart, and with kindness. There is sometimes a misconception that kindness in leadership is a vulnerability, or that empathy compromises performance. What I have seen proves the exact opposite. When leaders prioritize the growth, wellbeing, and psychological safety of their people, the results don't just follow—they multiply. Leading with heart doesn't dilute impact; it amplifies it. A massive thank you to the entire WAMCO team for the hospitality, the hard work, and the masterclass in empathetic leadership. #Leadership #WestAfrica #WomenInLeadership #EmpatheticLeadership #WAMCO #Dakar #CoteDIvoire #TeamWork #FutureOfWork

📍 Tunisia I have just wrapped up a very productive mission to Tunis, where alongside UNOPS Regional Director for Africa, Sanjay Mathur, North Africa MultiCountry Office Director, Nathalie Angibeau, and other colleagues, we officially marked 20 years of UNOPS impactful work in Tunisia. At a time of mounting global challenges, effective multilateral co-operation is vital. It was very encouraging to meet with senior government leaders and partners in Tunisia to reflect on the positive results of our work together, and to reaffirm UNOPS commitment to building on these achievements. A recap of key engagements 👇 🤝 Excellent meetings with Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohamed Ali Nafti, and Minister of Economy and Planning, Samir Abdelhafidh. We discussed our shared commitment to multilateral co-operation, and reflected on the strong partnership – delivering results in areas like education, health, justice and the environment. 🏥 An excellent exchange with Minister of Health, Dr Mustapha Ferjani, who walked me through Tunisia’s rapidly advancing digital health transformation, which will expand access to quality healthcare for people across the country. 🦾 A fascinating visit to Charles-Nicolle Hospital, where I met the brilliant medical team who is working with a specialized surgical robot – procured by UNOPS as part of an initiative financed by the The World Bank Group . The robot is a first of its kind in Tunisia’s public health system and will significantly improve clinical outcomes for patients. A great example of the impactful role effective procurement can play in enhancing healthcare! 🤝 Valuable interactions with ambassadors and reps from many of UNOPS partners in Tunisia and North Africa (including International Financial Institutions, the UN, and several donor countries) 📰 I spoke with several media outlets to highlight UNOPS work in #Tunisia, while also discussing broader global challenges – including the far-reaching impacts of supply chain disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, and the urgent need to bridge the gap between ambitions and actions to address the climate crisis. 🇺🇳Finally, I met my fantastic team in Tunisia and North Africa and discussed strategic orientations to scale-up and speed-up our delivery. A big thanks also to United Nations Resident Coordinator Rana Taha for her leadership of UN Country Team and ongoing support for UNOPS work in Tunisia.