The UN Resident Coordinator Office

The United Nations Resident Coordinator Office supports the work of the UN Resident Coordinator. The UN Resident Coordinator leads the UN Country Team in consultations with the Government to define and agree on the UN strategic response to the Government’s development priorities. This response is captured in the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNDCF). 

The UNDCF is a results framework that describes the collective vision and response of the UN system to national development priorities. The UNDCF describes how the UN Country Team will contribute to the achievement of development results based on a common country analysis and the UN comparative advantage. Currently, the UN framework of work for Viet Nam is under the One Strategic Plan 2017-2021.

The office coordinates activities related to common programming including Agenda 2030, joint programmes, joint programming activities and development coordination work. This is done in conformity with the objectives and priorities of the Government, and the mandates and objectives of the United Nations agencies.

The UN Resident Coordinator Office has five core functions:

  1. Strategic Planning
  2. Development Economics
  3. Partnerships and Development Finance
  4. Data and Results Management and Reporting
  5. Communications and Advocacy

The UN Resident Coordinator in Viet Nam

The UN Resident Coordinator for Viet Nam is Pauline Tamesis.  

Ms. Pauline Tamesis of the Philippines has more than 20 years of experience in senior leadership positions driving transformational change for sustainable development. She assumed her new position as the UN Resident Coordinator in the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam on 18 June 2022.

Before coming to Viet Nam, Pauline served as the UN Resident Coordinator in Cambodia. In this capacity, Ms. Tamesis positioned the United Nations as a development innovations and solutions provider for inclusive, sustainable and equitable recovery from COVID-19 pandemic and for accelerating SDG achievement.

Prior to these roles, she was appointed as Chief of UNDP Country Office Support and Quality Assurance in the Asia Pacific Regional Hub (2016-2018) where she oversaw UNDP operations in 24 offices. As Chief of Country Office Support, she led design of new business models for growth and providing “out-of-the-box” solutions to implementation bottlenecks. 

Her passion for innovation was sparked in Bangladesh as UNDP Country Director, where she led the office from 2013-2016 to build a future-facing $500m portfolio for urban poverty reduction, social protection, renewable energy, sustainable cities and climate adaptation.

A policy adviser at heart and she brings thematic expertise in democratic governance, anti-corruption, gender equality and women’s political empowerment. She served as Democratic Governance Practice Leader in the UNDP Asia Pacific Regional Center from 2008 to 2013. Pauline was previously Democratic Governance Practice Manager from 2006 to 2008 and Anti-Corruption Adviser from 1998 to 2006 in the UNDP Bureau for Development Policy.

Pauline is a proven leader, with strong track record in steering UN development system in complex environments, as well as designing for transformation. She possesses strong communications and interpersonal skills: bringing high energy, innovation mindset, and commitment to collaborative leadership. While a lifelong learner, she obtained an MBA from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. and a bachelor’s degree in Management Economics from Ateneo de Manila University in the Philippines, where she graduated with honors. Pauline has completed specialized courses at European Institute of Business Administration (INSEAD in France), Aresty Institute of Executive Education of Wharton School (USA) and Lee Kwan Yu School of Public Policy (Singapore).

Pauline is married to Anthony Dimayuga and has two teenage sons, Lucas Dimayuga and Thomas Dimayuga.