Meet Arun Kashyap, new UNDP resident representative

Arun Kashyap has been in Jamaica for only one week, but already he has a clear vision for his tenure as United Nations resident coordinator and resident representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Jamaica.

"My guiding principles are inclusiveness, partnership and institutional strengthening," says Dr Kashyap. "I subscribe to a view of leadership for development that was articulated by Witter Bynner who said that when all is done, everyone should say, 'We did this ourselves'."

Kashyap is excited to be assuming the leadership of the UNDP and coordination of the United Nations agencies in Jamaica at this time. New five-year programme plans have been approved and will support the achievement of Jamaica's Vision 2030 - Jamaica, the place of choice to live, work, raise families and do business.

"How can we create a good quality of life for all Jamaicans? That is a question that is uppermost in my mind," says Kashyap. He sees as critical answers, and as areas for UN and UNDP support, the strengthening of collaboration and partnerships, particularly with the private sector and with other stakeholders, including with the diaspora. This, he believes, will be crucial to enable success in areas such as Jamaica's management of national and external debt, management of the fiscal space so that there are adequate resources for priority interventions and enhanced access to basic goods and services by the disadvantaged population.

aid effectiveness

"I believe there is an opportunity for the UN system to work closely with the Government in defining an international co-operation strategy that builds upon the principles of aid effectiveness and also incorporates access to global funds' resources and partnership with the private sector," says Kashyap. "Energy efficiency and diversification into renewable energy are urgent priorities," he says, noting that Jamaica's energy bill is unsustainable. Kashyap is confident that the UN, in collaboration with the national stakeholders, is well placed to mobilise technical and financial resources in support of Jamaica's efforts in these areas.

"With the launch of new UN Development Assistance Framework and country programmes for several agencies, the UN organisations will replenish and enhance their synergistic efforts to support Jamaica. We have to work together and optimise our contribution to the human development needs, to sustainable development outcomes, to strengthening governance and to supporting national efforts to achieve the targets of the Millennium Development Goals," the UN resident coordinator stresses.

"I was struck by Prime Minister Andrew Holness' statement in his inaugural speech that Jamaica's capabilities are much more than the sum total of its problems. That resonates with me," he says. " From all that I have read, seen and heard, prior to coming and since arriving, it is clear that Jamaica and Jamaicans have a wealth of resources to be harnessed and supported to bring about local solutions." Kashyap is looking forward to getting into communities, to walk and talk with and learn from Jamaican citizens; to see first-hand the capabilities and needs, and to be better informed about strategies that have the greatest impact.

Making a real, measurable difference is at the top of his agenda. Kashyap expects to fully utilise his skills acquired from many years of experience as a development practitioner. He believes in inclusive development that is based on sound evidence and he brings to the job a multidisciplinary academic background which includes a PhD in economics and business administration from the East West Center, a university of Hawaii, master's degrees in business administration, economics and physics, and a postgraduate diploma in forestry.

Kashyap has held several senior policy advisory positions, including at the UNDP headquarters in New York, at its Asia Pacific Regional Center in Bangkok and at the UNDP Maldives. He has also been with the Rockefeller Foundation, and the Commonwealth Agricultural Bureaux Regional Office in Malaysia. In these several positions, he has worked with donor and developing countries as well as major corporations to develop effective strategies to promote climate-change resilience, to achieve improved and equitable services delivery, public-private partnerships, micro-insurance, social protection, and entrepreneurship among the rural and urban poor to catalyse equitable human development.

Though passionate about his work, Arun Kashyap puts a premium on maintaining work-life balance as a husband, father and son. "I really am committed to maximising good quality time with my family," says Arun, who is married to Marla Ucelli-Kashyap, herself an accomplished leader who serves as assistant to the president for educational issues at the American Federation of Teachers in Washington, DC. Their daughter, 17-year-old Arunika, is soon to be on her way to college.