TheJourneyVolume1 - Book - Page 28
#NextGenUNDP
Jean Luc Stalon
Coun tr y o f O r igin :
UNDP Co u n t r y O f f ic e :
Date o f Ap po in tm e n t :
R WA N DA
CA M E R O O N
A P R I L 2 019
“THE CHANGE WE WANT WILL
COME FROM OUR
COLLECTIVE ACTIONS.”
I
was born to a Rwandese father and a French mother.
During my early years, I was a refugee in Eastern
Congo, uprooted by the upheavals going on in
Rwanda. Growing up as a refugee, made me develop
a hunger for advocacy in human rights, freedom, and
social equality.
My refugee status also helped me develop a “rebellious
spirit,” which later influenced my decision to pursue
development studies and then join the United Nations. My
longing for liberation, freedom, and independence pushed
me to question my role in society. How could I build a
better world around me? With this desire, I searched for
ways to play a positive role in shaping societies.
As a child, and later a young man, I grew up admiring
freedom fighters such as Nelson Mandela, Patrice
Lumumba, Kwame Nkrumah, Thomas Sankara, Bob
Marley, and Ruben Um Nyobè, among others. The
extraordinary lives, of these great individuals, inspired
me to ponder about my contributions to the transformation of Africa, and how to help enable Africans to
develop their own continent.
THE EARLY YEARS AND CHALLENGES
My first contact with development work began in 1994,
when I engaged as a volunteer rebuilding my home
country Rwanda, after the genocide. At the time, I was
working in the private sector and had requested a special
leave of absence from my employer. But, after spending
three months in the field, I never looked back and knew
my future lay within the United Nations system.
However, my path was paved with many obstacles.
Two major challenges that I faced upon entering the
development world stand out. Firstly, my status as a
refugee from Eastern Congo, and secondly, the underdevelopment of the places where I grew up. Although
Congo was a very welcoming country, as a refugee, you
still have this feeling that you are a second-class citizen
and that you don’t really belong anywhere. I did not,
however, let these challenges hold me back. I used these
to fuel my desire to positively help transform African
societies, irrespective of my status or position.
But, this journey, which has so far turned out to be
very successful, was made possible thanks to my father,
who was a doctor. My father was my hero. Coming
back home to Rwanda after so many years proved to
be a defining moment in my life. It triggered in me the
desire to grow professionally both in and outside of my
country.
DRIVE AND DETERMINATION
It is indeed this personal journey that has given me the
necessary drive and determination to become the Resident
Representative that I am today. When I heard the news
about the UN Reform in 2018, I committed to staying with
UNDP. This organization has seen me grow personally and
professionally. After the Reform, I took a major step in my
career as I transitioned from my role as a Country Director
in Senegal, to that of Resident Representative.
As RR in Cameroon, I have strived to undertake deep
structural transformations within the Country Office.
Resource mobilization increased from USD12.7m
in 2018 to USD88.3m in 2021. Delivery targets saw a
similar upward trajectory, going from USD9.2m in
2018 to USD33.5m in 2021. During my tenure, I have
also pushed to position UNDP as the strategic partner
of choice for the Government of Cameroon, offering
support on all major transformations in the country,
ranging from fragility and conflict; governance, poverty
reduction, environment and climate change; to the
COVID-19 Response.
I learned that to have a lasting impact as RR, one
must be bold and innovative. Leadership is critical in
positioning UNDP at the forefront of development
challenges within the UN system. Innovation is vital
to define new approaches in addressing long-lasting
and complex causes of poverty and exclusion. The
COVID-19 pandemic specifically demonstrated the need
for boldness and innovation as an RR.
EMERGENCY RESPONSE
At the onset of the crisis, I positioned UNDP at the
forefront of the emergency response by offering UNDP ›
28