New UNDP head takes up appointment

Magdy Martinez-Soliman has been appointed as Resident Representative for the UN Development Programme’s (UNDP) Multi-country Office for Barbados and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), with full responsibilities over St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Martinez-Soliman has a solid track record of accomplishments and vast experience in development, including a recent posting in the Caribbean where he served as UNDP Resident Representative a.i. in Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname, Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten. Until recently and for the past years, Martinez-Soliman was Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations and the Policy Chief of UNDP. Prior to that, he held different positions at the UN and UNDP Headquarters in New York and, has served as UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Mexico (2007-2012) and as a Senior UN Official in Senegal, West Africa and Bangladesh, South Asia.

Prior to his career in the UN, Martinez Soliman served as Secretary of State for Youth in the Spanish Government, and later Vice Minister of the Presidency in charge of Relations with Parliament. 

He was a member of the Organizing Committee for the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, lectured on International Law at the Law School of Malaga University, his alma mater, and was elected City Councilor of Malaga.

Martinez-Soliman is scheduled to present Letters of Credence to the Prime Minister Dr Ralph E. Gonsalves, on October 15 and will thereafter meet with key officials including, Jaundy Martin, Attorney General; Frederick Stephenson, Minister for Social Development, etc; and Saboto Caesar, Minister of Agriculture.

Martinez-Soliman will be joined by Programme Manager for Climate Change and Disaster Risk Resi