Malawi has a new Deputy UNDP Resident Representative

Lilongwe 5 April 2012— The new UNDP-Malawi Deputy Resident Representative (Programmes) Ms. Naomi Kitahara aims at ensuring clear and effective delivery of programmes with concrete results in Malawi.

Ms. Kitahara, a Japanese national started her duties on Monday April 2, 2012. She previously worked with the UNDP Mozambique Country Office as Deputy Resident Representative (Programmes) from 2007 to early 2012. 

She takes over from Mr. Ram Shankar, who held the same position from 2009 until December last year when he completed his contract.

Before joining UNDP Mozambique, Ms. Kitahara worked with the Japanese International Co-operation Agency (JICA) from 2006-2007 on a peace building and reconciliation programme in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

She started her career in the United Nations when she joined the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Zambia as Programme Officer for Reproductive Health. She then held the Programme Specialist position in UNFPA Headquarters in New York in the Asia-Pacific division.

From 2004-2006, Ms. Kitahara worked for UNDP South Africa Country Office as Deputy Resident Representative.

In 2010-2011, she was also chairperson of the UN Inter-Agency Programme Management Team for the implementation of joint programmes and development of the new United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) in the Delivering as One initiative in Mozambique.

While with UNDP Mozambique, Ms. Kitahara says one of her achievements was the increase in programme delivery by 40 percent, pushing the programme delivery from 16 to 23 million US dollars.

This was an indication of increased capacities of the Country Office and Implementing Partners, particularly in Results Based Management (RBM) and resources mobilized for programme delivery.

“I would like to see clear and effective delivery of programmes to respond to the challenges Malawi is facing today in the area of sustainable development,” said Ms. Kitahara.

Ms. Kitahara holds an MBA from the University of Warwick and an MSc from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

She is married with two children and loves playing a piano and cooking for families during her free time.