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Our team
Supporting Member States around the world to build a safer, more resilient future for all.

The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction is a global organization with a presence in various parts of the world. We have a core staff based in our headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland and regional and liaison offices supporting Member States around the world to build a safer, more resilient future for all.
Kamal Kishore, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction and Head of the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction

Special Representative of the Secretary General for Disaster Risk Reduction: Kamal Kishore

Kamal Kishore is the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General (SRSG) for Disaster Risk Reduction, and Head of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), based in Geneva, Switzerland. 

Mr. Kishore brings to this position nearly three decades of experience in disaster risk reduction, climate action and sustainable development at the global, regional, national and local levels, having worked in government, the United Nations and civil society organizations.

Read more about Mr. Kishore

Leadership

Paola Albrito
Director

D-2 | Italian | Female

Amjad Abbashar
Chief, Regional Office for Africa

D-1 | Sudanese | Male

Loretta Hieber-Girardet
Chief, Risk Knowledge, Monitoring and Capacity-Development Branch

D-1 | USA | Female

Sujit Mohanty
Chief, Intergovernmental, Interagency cooperation and Partnerships Branch

D-1 | Indian | Male

Marco Toscano-Rivalta
Chief, Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific

D-1 | Italian | Male

Intergovernmental Processes, lnteragency Cooperation and Partnerships Branch

Main focus on Strategic Objective 3

Chief: Sujit Mohanty

  • Support to intergovernmental processes and interagency cooperation (New York & Geneva)
  • Resilient Recovery
  • New York and Kobe Liaison Office
  • Infrastructure and Finance for Resilience
  • External Relations

Enablers

Resource Planning and Management Section

Chief: Sandya Prasad (Geneva)

  • Programme Planning and Monitoring
  • Finance, Budget and Procurement
  • Human resources, Administration

Communication, Advocacy and Knowledge Management Section

Main focus on Strategic Objective 4

Chief: Jeanette Elsworth

  • Contents and Channels (Geneva, Bonn)
  • Campaigns and Community (Geneva)
  • Information Design and Technology Solutions (Bangkok & Manila)

Supporting regional, national and local implementation and monitoring

Main focus on Strategic Objective 2

Regional Office for Africa

Chief: Amjad Abbashar

  • Nairobi
    • DRR policy and coordination Sendai Monitoring
    • Risk knowledge and analysis
    • External Relations
    • Stakeholder engagement
  • Addis Ababa
    • African Union Liaison Office

Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia

Chief: Natalia Alonso Cano (Brussels)

  • DRR policy and coordination
  • Sendai Monitoring
  • Risk knowledge and analysis
  • External Relations
  • Stakeholder engagement

Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific

Chief: Marco Toscano-Rivalta

  • Bangkok
    • DRR policy and coordination
    • Sendai Monitoring
    • Risk knowledge and analysis
    • External Relations
    • Stakeholder engagement
  • Suva
    • Pacific Office

Regional Office for Arab States

Chief: Sandra Amlang

  • DRR policy and coordination
  • Sendai Monitoring
  • Risk knowledge and analysis
  • External Relations
  • Stakeholder engagement

Regional Office for the Americas and the Caribbean

Chief: Nahuel Arenas Garcia (Panama)

  • DRR policy and coordination
  • Sendai Monitoring
  • Risk knowledge and analysis
  • External Relations
  • Stakeholder engagement