Head of Resident Coordinator's Office in Cameroon

The job of Head of Resident Coordinator's Office is especially complex – and vital – in a setting like Cameroon, where various actors are working on humanitarian operations, development assistance and peacebuilding.  

Meet Sophie Lesselin, who is supporting the Resident Coordinator to bring the UN and non-UN actors across all these streams to reflect on a new way of working, hand in hand with the government. She supported the Resident Coordinator in convening the UN agencies and Government counterparts to jointly explore better ways to bring these streams closer together for a more coherent support to the people in need.

As a result, the new UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (2022-2026) for Cameroon, the  UN’s joint programme for the next five years, better reflects the “integration” approach.  This laid a foundation for the UN and partners to provide more integrated, durable supports to 46 municipalities, and their populations affected by forced displacement by the end of 2026, while addressing immediate needs and reducing risks. Sophie recently organized a joint strategic mission of the UN entities and the Government to the eastern part of the country, which hosts many refugees from Central African Republic.  The mission affirmed the commitment of local authorities and boosted collaboration towards further humanitarian-development-peace integration.