The UN Resident Coordinator Office
The United Nations in Jordan is represented by 17 resident agencies, funds and specialised programmes, working together to deliver as One UN through the coordination, development and implementation of activities.
The United Nations Country Team in Jordan is supporting the Government of Jordan in the implementation of Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development, bringing together the expertise and capacity of the humanitarian and development communities.
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are central to the realisation of Jordan’s national objectives, as stated in its national plans and calls for a comprehensive and coherent approach mainstreamed in the interlinkages of the SDGs.
The UNCT strengthens its approach through multi-stakeholders and partners process that translates into national ownership, promoting and mainstreaming human rights.
Given the challenges faced by Jordan in a volatile region, the UN has aligned its work with the principles of the Prevention Agenda promoted by the Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in increasing the Kingdom’s resilience to external shocks.
As head of the country team in Jordan, the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator steers the collective leadership of the UNCT towards more coherent, effective, and accountable support to Jordan.
The UN Resident Coordinator in Jordan
Ms. Sheri Ritsema-Anderson was appointed by the UN Secretary General as the UN Resident Coordinator in Jordan on 22 January 2023.
Ms. Ritsema-Anderson brings more than 20 years of experience in international relations, humanitarian affairs, social protection, and public policy, including 10 years working in and on the Middle East. She has cross-cutting expertise in multi-lateral coordination, systems thinking, interagency relations, and strategic analysis.
Prior to her appointment as United Nations Resident Coordinator, she held various senior positions with the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). She served most recently as Head of Office in Iraq and previously as Deputy Head of Office in the occupied Palestinian Territory, South Sudan and Indonesia. She also served in the Operations and Advocacy Division in New York, as OCHA’s principal advisor on the Ebola crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Before that, she worked with UNICEF, UNRWA and various international non-governmental organizations in the Gaza Strip, Indonesia, Chad, Kenya and Sierra Leone, advancing protection and emergency and recovery assistance for children, refugees and others affected by natural disasters and complex emergencies.
Sheri Ritsema-Anderson began her career working in social protection. As part of the New York City Mayor’s Office and the State of Florida governments, she was responsible for advancing social policy and programming in the areas of poverty alleviation, children and family services, and homelessness. She also worked with urban-focused, grassroots civil society organizations in the United States and Peru.
She holds a Master's degree in Public and Urban Policy from The New School Milano School of Policy, Management and Environment in New York.
The UN Resident Coordinator is assisted by a highly professional and committed team comprised of:
- Agnese SPIAZZI, Head of Office
- Christina MEINECKE, Senior Human Rights Adviser
- Cengiz Cihan, Senior Economist
- Cale Salih, Peace and Development Advisor
- Nihal Kanaan, Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist;
- Khetam Malkawi, Communications and Advocacy Officer;
- Husam Al-Kayyali, Partnerships and Development Finance Specialist;
- Sana'a Al-Shami, Administrative Assistant
- Andrei Shvarev, Coordination Officer
- Saleem Ghazwi, Coordination Officer
-
Tala Yousef, Human Rights Associate
