New Delhi, April 2: United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has appointed Shalini Bahuguna, an expert in artificial intelligence (AI), as the Resident Coordinator in Papua New Guinea.
Guterres’ spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, announced on Wednesday that Bahuguna brings decades of experience working with international organizations. As Resident Coordinator, she will be the highest UN official in Papua New Guinea, overseeing the coordination of 192 ongoing programs.
The Resident Coordinator is the top-ranking UN official in a country, leading teams from various organizations working on UN programs.
According to the UN, Bahuguna recently collaborated with UNICEF to develop an AI strategy in partnership with Accenture. Previously, she served as UNICEF’s representative in Tanzania, where she advocated for children’s rights and prioritized national development.
Her extensive career includes roles as Deputy Representative for UNICEF in Ethiopia and Myanmar, and leading social policy and gender initiatives in Nigeria.
Bahuguna began her career working for an NGO focused on India’s development, water, and sanitation issues. She later contributed to the water sector reform program with the Indian government and the World Bank.
During her time with the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID), she traveled to China, Indonesia, and Afghanistan. Additionally, she advanced children’s rights and development priorities as UNICEF’s representative in Tanzania.
She graduated from Lady Shri Ram College at Delhi University and holds a Master’s degree in Development Economics and International Development from Swansea University in the UK.
With over 20 years of experience in international organizations, particularly in development, humanitarian, and peacebuilding sectors, Bahuguna has led complex and culturally diverse teams across Asia and Africa.
The UN’s involvement in Papua New Guinea includes 192 programs with a budget of $85.5 million. This small Pacific nation shares a border with Indonesia and has a population of approximately 13 million.
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