The Regional Bureau for Arab States (RBAS) based in New York serves as the headquarters for UNDP regional programmes and country offices in 17 Arab countries, with the 18th located in the occupied Palestinian territory. The Bureau is headed by Ms. Amat Al Alim Alsoswa, United Nations Assistant Secretary General and UNDP Assistant Administrator and Regional Director.
Areas of Work:
UNDP’s activities in the Arab States region build on
UNDP’s five thematic priorities, with additional emphasis placed on addressing the main impediments to human development in the region as identified by the Arab Human Development Report series, namely freedom and good governance, knowledge, and women’s empowerment. Through its activities, the Bureau therefore seeks to promote and advance:
- Democratic Governance
- Poverty Reduction
- Crisis Prevention and Recovery
- Women’s Empowerment
- Knowledge Societies
- HIV and Development
- Energy and Environment
- Youth
Organizational Structure:
The activities of the Regional Programme Division revolve around three main pillars: (1) MDG Achievement; (2) Democratic Governance; and (3) Building a knowledge society. The Arab Human Development Reports remain the advocacy vanguard of the regional programme, while youth has been identified as a cross-cutting issue to ensure that this constituency is mainstreamed as a beneficiary of and catalyst for the socio-economic advances targeted.
UNDP Country Offices receive daily policy and administrative support from the Country Operations Division. The Country Operations Division works closely with UNDP Country Offices to ensure quality programming, results-based management applications, and effective resource mobilization strategies. In each country office, the UNDP Resident Representative normally also serves as the Resident Coordinator of development activities for the United Nations system as a whole.
Country offices in the Arab States region will receive additional technical support, and policy assistance from a Regional Service Center in Cairo.
