TheJourneyVolume1 - Book - Page 39
and related financial reforms. Tangible contributions to
the promotion of a development agenda that respects
and recognizes the value of environmental protection
– including supporting the recognition of the island of
Moheli as a UNESCO biosphere; Strengthening communication on our results, expanding our donor base, and
ensuring that UNDP Comoros is fit for purpose to deliver
in an increasingly challenging context; Putting staff
wellbeing and empowerment at the heart of office culture
as illustrated by our GSS results.
forget that we are only as strong as the team we lead;
to constantly ask how UNDP can do better through our
interventions and partnerships with greater impact on the
populations in the countries we work; and to keep things
in perspective. UNDP is only one actor in the countries
we serve, and therefore, we need to work in partnership
while also modelling work-life balance, so that others in
our team can do the same. n
U N I T E D N AT I O N S D E V E L O P M E N T P R O G R A M M E
MITIGATING THE PANDEMIC
Being an RR during the COVID-19 pandemic has really
illustrated the value of UNDP’s in-country presence and
having RRs lead from the front in times of crisis. In a
Small Island Developing State (SIDS) like Comoros with
very few resident partners, UNDP played a critical role
in the response to the pandemic, capitalizing on our
long-standing partnership and support to the national
emergency management system. The result was that in a
very real way, UNDP’s interventions saved lives, reduced
and mitigated the impact of the pandemic, particularly in
the islands. The challenge was that this support exposed
us and our staff to very real risks. In fragile contexts like
Comoros, it is impossible to do everything remotely. As
a result, a critical priority for myself as RR was how to
constantly work to reduce the risk and to support our
staff, including those who very sadly fell ill and needed
to be evacuated.
My main take-aways from my current role are to never
M Y FAVO U R I T E Q U OTAT I O N
“Individually, we are one drop.
Together, we are an ocean..”
RYU N OSU K E SATOR O
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