Integrated Office of the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia (DSRSG/RC/HC)
The Integrated Office of the DSRSG/RC/HC coordinates the work of the UN in Somalia on its development, humanitarian and partly political mandates in support of the Strategic Priorities of the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework for Somalia (2021-2025) in line with Somalia’s peace- and state-building priorities in accordance with the National Development Plan and the Sustainable Development Goals.
The Integrated Office is a coordination service provider, designed to enable greater effectiveness, efficiency, coherence and transparency of international development interventions in Somalia. It is mandated to advance the UN’s ‘Delivering as One’ agenda and is strategically positioned to promote and operationalize the New Way of Working across the development, humanitarian, peace, security and state-building pillars of the UN’s work in Somalia.
The Integrated Office under its Resident Coordination capacity has five core functions:
- Strategic Planning
- Economics
- Partnerships and development finance
- Data and results management and reporting
- Communications and advocacy
The Integrated Office also hosts several dedicated thematic units that provide coordination, mainstreaming and advisory support to its various clients, including the DSRSG/RC/HC, the broader UN system, and government and donor partners, fostering joined-up planning and programming towards collective outcomes, and promoting multi-disciplinary approaches in the following areas:
- Durable Solutions
- Youth Empowerment
- Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment
- Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism
- Stabilization
- Aid Coordination
- Environment and Security
- Risk Management
The Office provides secretariat support to the UN Multi-Partner Trust Fund (MPTF), the UN Country Team (UNCT), the Programme Management Team (PMT), as well as the Durable Solutions and Peacebuilding Fund Working Groups, the UN Communication Group, Inter-Agency Youth Working Group, amongst others, and provides a link between UN Agencies and UNSOM on policy, planning and operational issues.
Furthermore, through its Risk Management Unit, the Integrated Office is a recognized leader in the provision of risk management services to ensure that the UN, its partners and donors better understand and mitigate the risks associated with operating in Somalia.
About the DSRSG/RC/HC
George Conway is the United Nations Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General, and also serves as the United Nations Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator.
He has more than 20 years of experience in development, crisis prevention and recovery, and humanitarian affairs with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and other UN entities.
Prior to his current post, he served as Deputy Director at UNDP’s Crisis Bureau in New York and previously worked in Somalia as UNDP Country Director (2013–2019).
He has also served in various roles in South Sudan, Indonesia and Canada on peace and conflict issues, including as UNDP’s Strategic Advisor for Africa, Country Director a.i. in South Sudan, and Head of Programmes in Juba. In Indonesia he assisted in crisis prevention and recovery following the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami. Before UNDP, he was an analyst on peace and conflict issues in Ottawa and a civilian expert for peace-keeping operations.
Mr. Conway holds a Master’s degree in international affairs from Carleton University in Ottawa, an interdisciplinary Master’s degree from the University of Western Ontario, and a Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology from the University of Winnipeg.